On Sunday, the Billings Gazette editorial team wrote an opinion about drunken driving in Montana.

In the Gazette Opinion, we read that:

Under state law, a person’s first three DUI convictions are misdemeanors. Not until the fourth offense can a felony be charged. But even then, the law generally limits the maximum sentence to 13 months – even for fifth and subsequent DUIs. The law also mandates six months of chemical dependency treatment for fourth-offense DUI. But some of the most dangerous offenders don’t get treatment.

While getting a DUI or two, or three, is probably pretty costly to the offender, if the Gazette is correct that the first three offenses are just misdemeanors, then our legislature needs to increase the penalty.

I say make the second DUI conviction a felony. Heck, take the car they were caught driving drunk in and sell it at a government sale. Make the second and subsequent DUIs have a mandatory sentence and take the plea bargaining out of it.

Montanans hate drunk driving, but it appears they don’t hate it that much or they would significantly increase the penalties for those who are caught driving drunk the second and third times.