31 State Lawmakers Recognized For Helping Advance MADD's Mission

Last updated on Tuesday, September 25, 2018

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) today announces the “2018 Legislators of the Year” who partnered with MADD on lifesaving legislation to stop the tragedies caused by drunk driving, the leading killer on U.S. roads.

MADD recognized 31 lawmakers from 13 states for their commitment to saving lives, including six from Alabama, four from Colorado, three from Iowa, Idaho and New Jersey, two from Louisiana, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Wisconsin, and one from Indiana, Hawaii, Michigan and Oklahoma.

"MADD is honored to work with legislators who share our goal of eliminating the 100 percent preventable crime of drunk driving," said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church. "We thank these legislative champions for their leadership and for recognizing the importance of their role in reversing this public safety crisis."

Many of the 2018 Legislators of the Year played a major role in MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, which was launched in 2006. A key component of the Campaign calls for the passage of all-offender interlock laws, which require the use of an ignition interlock for any convicted drunk driver who seeks driving privileges during a license suspension. Prior to the Campaign, only one state -- New Mexico -- had an all-offender interlock law. Today, 32 states and Washington D.C. have enacted all-offender interlock laws.

Other components of MADD's Campaign include supporting high-visibility law enforcement, such as sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols, advocating for development of the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), which is an advanced vehicle technology to passively detect alcohol on a driver's breath, and taking personal responsibility by always planning ahead for a non-drinking designated driver when plans include alcohol.

2018 MADD Legislators of the Year:

Alabama

Senator Jim McClendon
Senator Paul Bussman
Representative Arnold Mooney
Representative Allen Farley
Representative Johnny Mack Morrow
Representative Will Ainsworth

Colorado

Senator Lois Court
Representative Dave Young
Senator Jack Tate
Representative Jeni James Arndt

Hawaii

Senator Laura Thielen

Idaho

Representative Ryan Kerby
Representative Melissa Wintrow
Senator Grant Burgoyne

Indiana

Representative Timothy Wesco

Iowa

Representative Sandy Salmon
Representative Jarad Klein
Senator Tom Shipley

Louisiana

Representative Tanner Magee
Representative John Bagneris

Michigan

Representative Klint Kesto

New Jersey

Senator Nicholas Scutari
Senator Joe Lagana
Assemblywoman Joann Downey

Oklahoma

Senator Kim David

Rhode Island

Senator Maryellen Goodwin
Representative Robert Nardolillo

South Carolina

Senator Brad Hutto
Representative Eddie Tallon

Wisconsin

Senator Chris Larson
Representative Christine Sinicki

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation's largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 350,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. Visit www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.

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