What Happened
Nevada’s Governor Joe Lombardo wants to make punishments stronger for drunk drivers who kill people. Right now, if someone drives drunk and kills another person in Nevada, they might only serve eight years in prison before getting parole. The current DUI with death law carries a possible sentence of 2-20 years, but a bipartisan 1995 Nevada law requires judges to set minimum sentences at 40% of the maximum.
The Nevada Supreme Court has stopped prosecutors from charging drunk drivers with murder.
In their 2020 ruling, the justices wrote:
“Although malice may be inferred from the facts of this case, which would support a charge of second-degree murder, the Legislature has preempted such a charge for cases of non-intentional vehicular homicide.”
Governor Lombardo told 8 News Now reporter David Charns:
“There’s a request to elevate, fatal accident, DUI, with implied intent. In other words, you knew you were drunk, you made a decision to get into a car. And as a result of your actions, there was a death that occurred.”
Legislative Process Details
The Governor’s proposal to charge impaired drivers who cause death with second-degree murder is part of a larger crime bill. As of March 24, 2025, this bill had not yet been introduced to the legislature, even though that date marked the deadline for the governor to introduce his bills this session.
Here’s where it gets interesting for policy wonks:
Governor Lombardo will receive a waiver because the Legislative Counsel Bureau hasn’t finished reviewing the bills. This procedural move allows him to introduce the legislation after the normal deadline. The LCB’s review is a critical step in the process, ensuring the bill is properly formatted and doesn’t conflict with existing laws.
If passed, the change would carry a minimum 10-year prison sentence for these offenses, significantly higher than the current system allows.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This issue touches on core conservative values like personal responsibility and justice. When someone chooses to drink and drive, they put everyone else at risk. Conservatives believe people should face real consequences for dangerous choices that harm others.
The current system seems too soft on crime. If someone makes a choice that kills an innocent person, eight years doesn’t feel like justice to many conservatives. Governor Lombardo, a Republican and former Clark County sheriff, brings law enforcement experience to this policy proposal.
Case That Sparked Change
This proposal comes after a tragic case where two state troopers, Sgt. Michael Abbate and Trooper Alberto Felix, were killed by an impaired driver. The two officers were standing on the side of the road investigating another DUI driver when they were struck.
The driver who killed them, Jemarcus Williams, received the maximum sentence as part of a plea deal: 16-40 years in prison. While this might sound like a long sentence, under current law, the minimum time before parole eligibility is often much less than the maximum sentence.
The case highlighted the limitations of current law because prosecutors couldn’t charge Williams with murder, even though his actions took two lives. This is exactly the kind of case Governor Lombardo’s proposal aims to address by allowing second-degree murder charges that carry a minimum 10-year prison sentence.
Current Law
Right now in Nevada, your first DUI is just a misdemeanor. It only becomes a felony after your third DUI within seven years.
When asked specifically how long first or second-time offenders should serve, Lombardo said:
“I don’t know what that is — that would be up to the Legislature to decide. There are people that have done the theories and the actual change of mindset that goes along with that. But it needs to be higher. It’ll be harsher.”
For a first DUI offense, current Nevada law requires only 2-180 days in jail, but you might not even serve real jail time. The judge can let you do community service or treatment instead. For a second DUI, it’s 10-180 days, and you might just get house arrest.
State Police Staffing Issues
Complicating enforcement of any new laws is a severe staffing shortage in Nevada’s state police. On some nights, just three to five state police troopers patrol the entire Las Vegas valley, an area with 2.3 million residents plus tourists.
The state budget calls for 392 trooper positions, but as of February 2025, 174 positions remained unfilled – a nearly 45% vacancy rate. While troopers received a 25% pay raise in the last legislative session, starting in July, increased retirement contributions will erase those gains, according to the Nevada Police Union.
Lombardo addressed this in his interview:
“This is not as simple as increasing pay. You got to change your recruiting policies and make sure you get more aggressive, and you have to look at your qualifications needed, to get them into the to work.”
What Conservatives Can Do
If you support tougher DUI laws:
- Call or write to your state representatives and tell them you support Governor Lombardo’s proposal.
- Share stories about the victims of drunk driving accidents to put a human face on this issue.
- Encourage friends and family to use ride-sharing services or designated drivers when drinking.
Conservative values include protecting innocent lives and holding people accountable for their choices. This issue shows how these values can guide practical policy changes that make our communities safer.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
