"No-Refusal" for Super Bowl Sunday

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Austin Police Department will enforce a “No-Refusal” initiative for Super Bowl Sunday from 7:30 p.m.-5:00 a.m. Monday.

The DWI initiative is an effort to enforce DWI laws, keep the public safe, and to conduct blood search warrants on suspects who refuse to give a breath or blood specimen as required by law.  A high number of DWI arrests are made in Austin each year.  About 24% of last year’s traffic fatalities were alcohol related.

The 82nd Legislature passed HB1199 which implemented a higher class of offense for those whose blood alcohol concentration is at or above .15. Those found to have a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or above will be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor which carries a maximum sentence of one year confinement in jail and a $4,000 fine for the first time offenders. This law goes into effect on September 1, 2011.