Full Breakdown
California Enacts New Laws to Toughen Penalties for Repeat DUI Offenders
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Legislative Package
In September 2026 Governor Gavin Newsom signed a four-bill package aimed at strengthening penalties for repeat impaired-driving offenses. The centerpiece, Senate Bill 907—“Braun’s Law” after 18-year-old Braun Levi, killed by a suspected repeat drunk driver on May 4 2025—allows prosecutors to charge a driver who causes a fatal or serious injury within ten years of a prior DUI as a felony, including a possible murder charge.
Other measures include:
- Assembly Bill 1546 – makes a third DUI within ten years a felony (previously only a fourth DUI triggered felony charges).
- Assembly Bills 1685 and 1687 (authored by Assemblymember Tom Lackey) – raise DMV violation points for vehicular-manslaughter-while-intoxicated convictions from two to three and extend the period the DMV may revoke a license after a fourth DUI to six years.
- A bill from Assemblymember Nick Schultz that expands felony-charging authority for a third DUI.
Collectively, the laws increase jail time, fines, license-revocation periods and ignition-interlock requirements for repeat offenders.
Background & Context
California has long ranked among states with relatively weak DUI statutes. A CalMatters investigation documented a more-than-50 % rise in alcohol-related roadway deaths over the past decade. Earlier attempts—such as a proposal to require first-time offenders to install in-car breathalyzers—failed amid opposition from groups concerned about impacts on low-income and historically marginalized residents.
Data & Statistics
- CHP activity (2026): 50,900 DUI arrests, 75 sobriety checkpoints, 154 saturation patrols, and 64 traffic-safety presentations statewide.
- Penalty ranges: For a second prior DUI, jail sentences of 120 days to one year (misdemeanor) or 16 months to three years (felony), fines of $390–$1,000, and license revocation of five years (up from four). A mandatory ignition-interlock period rises to four years (from three).
- Points increase: Vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated now adds three DMV points instead of two.
Official Statements & Responses
Governor Newsom said, “getting behind the wheel when you are impaired is inexcusable—especially when it results in the loss of someone’s life.” Sen. Bob Archuleta cited the loss of his granddaughter to a repeat drunk driver. Jennifer Levi, Braun’s mother, expressed hope the measures honor her son’s memory. The governor’s office indicated lawmakers should revisit broader DUI-sanction reforms in the next session.
Criticism & Opposition
Smart Justice California, a criminal-justice-reform organization, testified that harsher penalties may disproportionately affect lower-income individuals and questioned whether expanding punishments would increase deterrence, arguing existing penalties already serve as a deterrent.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on several penalty details:
- License revocation length: CalMatters cites a six-year revocation after four prior DUIs, whereas the NY Post reports a five-year increase.
- Ignition-interlock requirement: NY Post specifies a four-year mandatory period; CalMatters does not provide a duration.
- Effective date for six-year revocation: CalMatters notes the change takes effect in 2031; the NY Post does not mention a start date.
These discrepancies highlight the need for clarification as the laws are implemented.
What’s Next
The governor’s office urged the Legislature to return to a broader DUI-sanctions framework in the upcoming session, suggesting further reforms may be considered beyond the September 2026 enactments.