Krusin' the Capitol
By Nebraska State Senator Lowen Kruse
2003
Week 14
April 11, 2003
Hi-
Personal time.
I am a grandfather, as of Friday morning. Do understand, I and my bride are
too young for such distinction. However, our daughter chose to go through
with it anyway.
Lauren Wolf Stockwell is for real. She has some statistics, but my Mother
told me long ago not to go into a woman's measurements. Or weight.
Jo and Barry are in their 40s. She has had miscarriages and we naturally did
not picture this ever being for real. For those who do not know, our son,
Doug, is paralyzed from the chest down. Doug and Lisa are teachers, with a
great number of youth connections. They have no need to adopt. Their lives
are full to overflowing.
That is enough background for you to understand that Ruth and I have not
anticipated our new condition. Frankly, being grandparents was so remote we
never even thought about it. So we are quite unprepared.
Will try to adjust. I forgot to shave this morning and voted wrong two
times. Now we must redouble our efforts to make this world a welcome place f
or Lauren.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the budget will not be settled in committees.
We are too far apart. The fight will go to the floor in May.
I promised to hit the main points of my repeat offender bill (DUI). Have had
only a few crumpled postcards asking for this, so will be brief.
1. On second conviction, maximum jail change from 90 days to 6 months.
2. Death caused by alcohol impaired driver, increase license revocation from
60 days to one year.
3. "Suspended" licenses, by courts, changed to "Revoked". Suspension is by
the department, as when one has too many points-- and most keep possession of
their licenses, showing them as if they were valid. Revocation means the
court takes possession. Sometimes the license is impounded, which means the
probation officer has it in file, but no new application for license will be
needed. (Renewal of license is costly.)
4. Interlocks can be installed, but not until the offender has received a
provisional license, which must be delayed. Some courts are allowing
offenders to get an interlock and drive without a license, which is very
confusing.
5. For those who never learn, we make it so they will qualify for a
"Habitual Criminal" charge, which can take them out of our danger zones for
years. My "Poster Boy" has 97 arrests, 75 convictions (all kinds of
charges), 40 road convictions, mostly DUI. He has cost us taxpayers over $2
million dollars. For $1 m. we could lock him up for 40 years. And prevent
alot more pain and cost.
6. Aggravated DUI is a new offense, that usually involves earlier
convictions but does not do the "counting" of 3rd and 4th offense. This is
avoiding police in pursuit, having high BAC twice, driving when the license
is revoked for DUI, and causing serious bodily injury.
7. We declare that a final conviction by a court counts as an offense, even
if the person continues to appeal. Presently, we have had repeat offenders
with three convictions on appeal and have to keep charging [him], for
example, with a second offense.
8. Vehicle confiscation is an option of the judge on a repeat offender. I
doubt this will be used much, but hopefully car owners will be very reluctant
to loan a car to a repeat offender. It would have made a big difference for
our son Doug if the owner had known she could lose her car if he got picked
up. He was too drunk to walk well when she loaned it to him. A lot of
public indifference and enabling wrapped up in this one.
9. Teach prosecutors how to count. A person with 10 convictions is often
charged with second offense. We cannot prohibit that, but we will direct
that a printed public statement shall list every known conviction and state
why some of them are not counted.
Hopefully, some senators will be reminded by the public that alcohol impaired
drivers cause more mayhem than any other single factor in our society.
We do have business I do not talk much about:
We will expedite a way to control unwanted telephone solicitation.
We will provide for felony charges for animal abuse.
We will require broader licensing for animal retailers.
We have adopted a plan by which unopened prescriptions, given to a terminal
patient, can be recycled through the pharmacy when the patient dies.
We will increase penalties for child pornography.
We will provide more workers comp for volunteer fire fighters on duty.
We will revise the management of scrap tires and wastewater treatment.
Hopefully, make a number of services "cash funded," supported only by fees.
Most important, do remember we are getting the world ready for Lauren and her
friends. We must do it so well they will not have increased taxes because of
our neglect. Carry on!
Lowen
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