Senate Bill No. 278, introduced by Senator Edmonds, amends the existing law regarding the reinstatement of a driver's license suspended due to operating while impaired. The bill mandates that any individual whose driver's license has been suspended for this reason must install an ignition interlock device in any vehicle they operate as a condition for reinstatement. This change removes the previous stipulation that required a prior arrest for operating while impaired within the last ten years for the ignition interlock device to be necessary.

The proposed law simplifies the requirements for reinstatement by eliminating the ten-year prior arrest condition, thereby making it applicable to all individuals whose licenses are suspended for operating while impaired, regardless of their arrest history. The effective date for this legislation is set for August 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
SB278 Original: 32:667(I)(1)