Governor Jay Nixon has announced his intentions to make Missouri DWI/DUI laws much harsher. Included in his proposal is a bill to make it a crime to refuse a breath test, require that those who blow over a .15 only be prosecuted in state court (as opposed to city court), and enhance the penalties for those who blow over .15. A representative of MADD says this is “only a first step”. Of course, there is no mention of treatment, increasing public transportation options or doing anything to get at the root of the problem. So, DUI lawyers and the jails will be busier in the future, assuming this legislation gets passed, which is almost certain. Much like bills concerning child molesters, it is only the rare politician that will vote against anything concerning DUI law. So, I would expect that as long as the money can be found to fund all of this, the governor’s wish list will be granted by the legislature.