Madison … State legislators announced today plans to introduce legislation that would stiffen Wisconsin law for individuals who receive a third driving under the influence (DUI) conviction. On April 25, 2008, police say Jennifer Bukosky, her daughter Courtney Bella and her unborn baby were killed after the car they were traveling in was hit from behind by a vehicle driven by Mark Benson. Not long before the crash, Benson had been convicted of his third drunken driving offense. According to investigators, Mark Benson was under the influence of several prescription medicines when he got behind the wheel.

“The two questions that kept coming to mind after the loss of this mother and her two children were why this person went home after his third DUI conviction and why he still had his 3-ton killing machine in his possession,” said Representative Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc), one of the lead authors of the proposed changes.

The bipartisan legislation is also being sponsored by Representative Bob Ziegelbauer (D-Manitowoc) along with Senators Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee) and Alberta Darling (R-River Hills).

"The Wisconsin Legislature needs to take quick action on the proposed bills, so that we can prevent the loss of more innocent lives," said Sen. Plale. "It is hard to believe that people with such awful records are still allowed to drive a car. The most appalling thing is that there are people with many more DUI's that are still out there driving drunk every night. Something has to be done."

The proposed legislation would be separated in to two separate bills. The first bill would require that upon conviction of a third DUI, an individual’s driving privileges would be revoked and the vehicle being driven at the time of the third DUI, be seized by authorities. The second proposal would prevent an individual from getting behind the wheel by sending them directly to jail following conviction of a third DUI.

"Just turning up the heat on our current DUI penalties a little more won't do it,” said Rep. Ziegelbauer. “Immediate, permanent confiscation of the vehicle, any vehicle driven after revocation by multiple DUI offenders will be the kind of “game changer” we need."

The legislators plan to immediately begin drafting this legislation, working closely with the Bukosky family who plan to testify as soon as a hearing can be scheduled on the proposed legislation.