Police Urge Lawmakers to Pass Ignition Interlock Bill

Maryland law enforcement leaders are urging state lawmakers to expand the use of ignition interlock requirements to help stop drunk driving.

They will be joining police officers on Wednesday who have been injured by drunk drivers.

A measure before lawmakers would require all drunken drivers with blood alcohol contents of 0.08 or greater to have the devices. State law now requires them for those with a BAC of 0.15, nearly twice the legal limit for driving.

The bill is being called "Noah's Law'' because of the December death of Officer Noah Leotta. He was killed while working on a driving-under-the-influence assignment by a suspected drunk driver with two previous convictions.

Twenty-five states have laws that require ignition interlocks for all offenders following any drunken-driving offense.