WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SD 109

An Act establishing a standing commission on operating under the influence and impaired driving

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Moore and 1 co-sponsor

Massachusetts creates a permanent standing commission to continuously study impaired driving trends, prevention strategies, and enforcement practices to reduce OUI-related deaths and injuries.

House concurred
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SD 109

Legislative bill overview

SD 109 creates a permanent standing commission dedicated to studying and addressing operating under the influence (OUI) and impaired driving issues in Massachusetts. The commission would examine trends, enforcement practices, prevention strategies, and related policies on an ongoing basis rather than through temporary study committees.

Why is this important

Impaired driving causes approximately 13,000 deaths nationally each year and represents a significant public safety concern. A standing commission allows the state to maintain continuous focus on evolving impaired driving challenges, coordinate responses across agencies, and develop evidence-based policy recommendations without requiring new legislative authorization for each study.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and resources: Establishing a permanent commission requires sustained funding and staff allocation that must compete with other state priorities; critics may question whether this justifies the expense versus ad-hoc committees
  • Commission effectiveness: Questions about whether a standing body will produce actionable results or become a bureaucratic fixture with limited real-world impact on OUI rates
  • Scope and authority: Unclear whether the commission will have advisory-only powers or actual enforcement/policy-making authority, and how it will coordinate with existing agencies like MADD chapters and law enforcement

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.