A Legislative Commission on the Confinement and Treatment of DWI Recidivists was formed in 1992 when the legislature could not agree on whether repeat DUI offenders should be charged with a felony offense. The Commission's recommendations were that a DUI offense with "multiple-priors" should remain a gross misdemeanor offense, but that up to three multiple offenses may be allowed to be sentenced consecutively. They recommended low-security incarceration, treatment and intensive aftercare in regional programs for most offenders. Costs for additional law enforcement, incarceration, intensive supervision, treatment and aftercare were to be paid for by an increase in the alcohol excise tax. The 1994 Omnibus DUI bill adopted the recommendation for consecutive sentences for up to three offenses resulting from the same driving incident, ie DUI, Driving after revocation, and driving without insurance. (This history taken from Budget 2001 Justice Working Paper, page 10-11.)
In the commission’s March 1993 report to the legislature it recommended that treatment programs for DWI recidivists be abstinence based and that a minimum number of contact days and hours and type of contacts be specified.