On Monday, June 1, 2015, Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) signed a bill that created a felony charge for a fourth DUI offense.

Prior to the bill's passing, it was possible for a driver to have an unlimited number of DUI convictions in Colorado, with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, or a short stint in the county jail.

Hickenlooper noted how Colorado was one of four states that hadn't done this. Adding that now, "there are only three."

Under the new law, a fourth DUI could lead to a conviction for a felony, punishable by a fine up to $500,000 and up to six years in prison. However, the law would only affect a small percentage of the state's 24,000 plus drunk driving cases each year.

Advocates of the law, including Hickenlooper expect the law to discourage repeat offenders from having fourth and subsequent DUIs on their records.

Hickenlooper said that even after classes, courses, and Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs), repeat offenders are still finding ways to drink and drive. He thinks that at a certain point, we can't let these people drive. He said that it's irresponsible for society to leave them on the road and drive.

Key Points of the New Law

After years of debate, here are some key points that the legislatures came up with:

• The fourth strike is not an automatic felony
• It's up to the judge's discretion to hand down punishment
• The court must determine that is the most suitable option
• The court must find that treatment is unlikely to work
• The four strikes do not have to be all in Colorado

Colorado's felony DUI law went into effect on Aug. 5, 2015.

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