I've certainly given Senate transportation committee chair Mary Margaret Haugen her share of flack for her anti-transit votes over the years, so it's only fair that I give her credit for introducing a bill that would allow law-enforcement agencies to immediately impound the cars of people arrested for drunk driving, with exemptions for people whose cars are registered to more than one driver. Drunk driving defendants could get their cars back within as little as 12 hours.

From the PI:

"This addresses a serious threat to public safety," Haugen said in a statement. "Under our existing laws, it's possible for someone to be cited for drunken driving, return to their car while still intoxicated, and resume driving. It happens, and it's a danger to other drivers."

According to the legislation, more than "thirty-nine thousand people are arrested each year in 2 Washington for driving or controlling a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs," and a third of those are repeat offenders.

The bill passed the state senate unanimously and now moves over to the house.