State Lawmakers Recognized for Helping Advance MADD’s Mission
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 1, 2017) — Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) today honors our “2017 Legislators of the Year” for their tireless work to help eliminate the 100 percent preventable crime of drunk driving.
“MADD is proud to recognize and thank these 42 lawmakers who joined us in our mission to end this public safety crisis on our roadways and to serve victims of this violent crime,” said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church. “Sadly, drunk driving remains the leading killer on our roads, and the numbers have increased for two straight years. We depend on the support and dedication of state legislators to reverse this trend and stop these tragedies.”
Many of these legislative champions have 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 period. Prior to the Campaign, only one state — New Mexico — had an all-offender interlock law. Today, 30 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 supporting deployment of fully autonomous vehicles.
In all, MADD recognized 42 lawmakers for their commitment to saving lives.
2017 MADD Legislators of the Year:
Alabama
Senator Jim McClendon
Senator Paul Bussman
Representative Arnold Mooney
Colorado
Senator John Cooke
Senator Lois Court
Senator Rhonda Fields
Representative Mike Foote
Representative Lori Saine
Representative Polly Lawrence
Florida
Senator David Simmons
Representative Cord Byrd
Indiana
Representative John Young Senator Eric Koch
Iowa
Representative Sandy Salmon
Representative Zach Nunn
Senator Dan Dawson
Louisiana
Representative Valarie Hodges
Kentucky
Senator Julie Raque Adams
Representative Robert Benvenuti
Massachusetts
Representative Louis Kafka
Michigan
Representative Klint Kesto
Representative Pat Green
Montana
Senator Sue Malek
New Jersey
Senator Nicholas Scutari
Assemblyman Joseph Lagana
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon
Ohio
Senator Bob Peterson
Representative Gary Scherer
Oklahoma
Senator Kim David
Representative Scott Biggs
Oregon
Representative Andy Olson
Pennsylvania
Senator John Rafferty
Rhode Island
Senator Maryellen Goodwin
South Carolina
Senator Brad Hutto Senator Luke Rankin
Texas
Senator José Menéndez
Senator Bryan Hughes
Senator Don Huffines
Representative Senfronia Thompson
Representative Joe Moody
Representative James White
Virginia
Delegate Dave Albo
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.
