NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee state lawmakers are hoping to add some penalties for school zone DUIs and those caught driving while high.
The bill is being introduced Tuesday by Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-Paris). He feels reform is necessary, saying he believes driving under the influence of drugs is a bigger problem than drunk driving.
Griffey’s plan would penalize someone who driving under the influence of any illegal drug or controlled substance that isn't prescribed to them.
It also toughens the penalties for driving under the influence in a school zone.
Additional details will be released at a news conference at 1:30 p.m. at the Cordell Hull Building.
A study from the National Institute of Drug Abuse found that in 2016, more than 11 million people had driven under the influence of illegal drugs in that one year alone.
