Wisconsin lawmaker vows to bring back drunken driving bills

MADISON (AP) — A Republican lawmaker is promising to bring back a package of bills to stiffen Wisconsin's drunken driving laws.

Rep. Jim Ott, a Mequon Republican, has been pushing for tougher drunken driving laws for years. He introduced a package of bills last session that included measures that would have changed third and fourth offenses from misdemeanors to felonies, imposed mandatory sentences and court appearances and allowed authorities to seize drunken drivers' cars. Only one measure imposing mandatory minimum prison sentences for seventh offenses and beyond and drunken drivers who cause injuries became law.

Ott told reporters Thursday that he plans to reintroduce the package this session. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Rochester Republican, said he supports the bills in general but he hasn't talked with the GOP caucus about them yet.