SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Former Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Marcus Kowal and his wife, Mishel Eder, were at the capitol Wednesday, pushing Assembly Bill 1713, which would lower the legal threshold for drunk driving from .08 to .05 blood-alcohol concentration.
“Our fight isn’t with the alcohol industry. We’re not trying to get people to stop drinking. We’re saying don’t get behind the wheel when you’ve been drinking. And today you don’t have a reason or an excuse. You have Uber and Lyft. There are so many ways to get home. It is selfish and very irresponsible decision to make,” Kowal told ABC10.
Kowal and Eder's son, Liam, was in his stroller when a drunk driver plowed into him and his aunt, who was pushing him through a crosswalk two years ago.
“We need to start changing the narrative between how many drinks it takes to get to .08 to impairment. I only got to spend 15-months with him before a drunk driver took him away from me," said Eder.
Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo and Santa Clara counties) co-authored AB 1713, also known as Liam’s Law. Hill also authored SB 545.
SB 545 would ensure all DUI offenders be required to install interlock breathing devices in their vehicles to prevent them from driving drunk again. The current law does not apply for first-time offenders.
SB 545, also known as Matt’s Law, will head to the Senate Public Safety Committee for a hearing next week.
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