The California legislature is so pro-criminal that it quietly waters down crime bills even when they have widespread support.
Case in point: California’s Democrat-dominated legislature was advancing a bill that would, among other things, require ignition interlock devices to be installed in the vehicles of anyone convicted of driving under the influence. These devices are breathalyzers that prevent you from starting your car if you do not blow below a particular level. The bill would bring California in line with the 31 other states (and Washington, D.C.). Currently, California is one of just six states with the weakest laws regarding ignition interlock devices for DUI offenders.
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So, how does a bill with broad support among legislative Democrats get carved up and hollowed out? In committee, of course. The Senate Appropriations Committee dumped hostile amendments on the bill, including killing the IID requirements, in a process so nontransparent that even the Democrat who wrote the bill doesn’t know why it happened. The Senate Appropriations Committee is chaired by state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, whose sister is running for State Assembly and happens to have two DUI convictions.
California, meanwhile, remains a haven for drunk driving. Repeat offenders can get away with multiple DUIs before being hit with a felony, and often stay on the roads with or without a license and continue to drink and drive. California also returns driver’s licenses to convicted drunk drivers faster than other states, with CalMatters in 2025 finding drivers with up to six DUI convictions still being allowed to get their license back in California.
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The result is that California has seen a 55% increase in DUI-related crash deaths over the past decade, far outpacing the rest of the country. The state now loses 1,300 residents per year in fatal DUI accidents, and yet California Democrats can’t even bother to bring the state in line with the vast majority of states when it comes to interlock ignition devices or any other restrictions for convicted drunk drivers.
As is typical, California Democrats agree that this is bad and plan to do absolutely nothing of substance to address it. The state’s criminal justice system runs on forgiveness, not justice or any notion of having criminals face consequences, which is how you end up with serial drunk drivers racking up DUI charges up until the point where they get somebody killed.