--- title: "California Lawmakers Gutted the First-DUI Interlock Bill (AB 1830): What It Means If You're Arrested" description: "AB 1830 would have required an ignition interlock device for every California DUI conviction, first offenses included. A Senate committee took that out in August, so first-time offenders still get the choice they had before. Here is how the rules work today and how other states handle it." url: "https://www.thehfirm.com/blog/california-ab-1830-ignition-interlock-first-dui" site: "H Law Group" published: "2026-09-25T16:00:00Z" --- # California Lawmakers Gutted the First-DUI Interlock Bill (AB 1830): What It Means If You're Arrested AB 1830 would have required an ignition interlock device for every California DUI conviction, first offenses included. A Senate committee took that out in August, so first-time offenders still get the choice they had before. Here is how the rules work today and how other states handle it. Category: DUI Law Author: Jacob Ardnt -- Jacob Ardnt is an intake specialist at The H Law Group, assisting individuals seeking trusted California criminal defense and DUI legal representation with prompt and compassionate case evaluations. California was close to requiring an in-car breathalyzer for every drunk-driving conviction this year, including first offenses. In August, a Senate committee took that requirement out. [CalMatters reported](https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/08/california-lawmakers-gut-major-dui-reform/) that the Senate Appropriations Committee amended [AB 1830](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1830) to drop its main provision, a mandatory ignition interlock device (IID) for anyone convicted of a DUI. If you're facing a first DUI in California, the practical effect is that the rules you'd have been sentenced under last year are still the rules today. The bill's history explains why, and it's worth knowing in case lawmakers try again. ## What AB 1830 would have done Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris wrote AB 1830 to replace California's current interlock program with a permanent one. Under her version, every alcohol-related DUI conviction would have come with an interlock, first offenses included. An IID is a breath tester wired into the car's ignition. You blow into it before the engine will start, and it asks for more samples at random while you drive. The driver pays to have it installed, calibrated every month and removed. The Assembly passed the bill 74 to 0 in May, and the Senate Public Safety Committee approved it in August. ## What the Senate committee changed The Appropriations Committee amended the bill to remove the first-offense requirement. Petrie-Norris didn't agree to the change, which is why people at the Capitol call it a "hostile amendment." According to CalMatters, committee staff cited cost. Thousands of first-time offenders a year who would have needed an interlock now won't. The people backing the bill point to the crash numbers. CalMatters reports that alcohol-related road deaths in California went up about 50% in ten years, roughly double the national increase, and that more than 1,300 people a year die in drunk-driving crashes in the state. [Petrie-Norris's office says](https://petrie-norris.asmdc.org/press-releases/20260327-assemblywoman-petrie-norris-bill-requiring-ignition-interlock-devices) interlocks stopped more than 30,500 attempts to drive drunk in California in 2023. > For a first-time client, choosing between the interlock and a restricted license is one of the most practical decisions in the case. Whatever the legislature does, the DMV hearing and how the charge is resolved still decide most of what happens to your license." - Nima Haddadi, Founder & Lead Trial Attorney, The H Firm ## What California law says right now The statewide interlock program has been in place since January 1, 2019. Here's how it treats different cases: - A first offense with no injury, under [Vehicle Code 23152(a)](/penal-codes/vehicle-code-23152-a-driving-under-the-influence) or [23152(b)](/penal-codes/vehicle-code-23152-b-driving-with-bac-0-08-percent-or-higher), usually gives you a choice. You can put an IID in your car for 6 months and keep driving normally, or go without one and take a 1-year restricted license that only covers work, school, medical appointments and your DUI program. - A DUI that injures someone, charged under [Vehicle Code 23153](/penal-codes/vehicle-code-23153-vc-dui-causing-injury), requires an IID. - A second or later DUI requires an IID, and the required time goes up with each prior. - A DUI based only on drugs, like the [Xanax cases we've written about](/blog/xanax-dui-attorney-los-angeles), doesn't trigger the interlock rule the way an alcohol DUI does. A first offense can still get worse. A BAC of 0.15% or more, or refusing a chemical test, adds penalties; see [DUI enhancements for high BAC or test refusal](/penal-codes/vc-23577-23578-dui-enhancements-bac-015-test-refusal). The way the case ends matters too. If it's reduced to a [wet reckless](/penal-codes/vc-23103-23103-5-wet-reckless-dui-plea-reduction), that isn't a DUI conviction, and the consequences are different. The DMV runs its own process alongside the court case, and it moves faster. You get 10 days after the arrest to [request a DMV hearing](/blog/how-do-you-request-a-dmv-hearing-after-a-dui). If you [miss that deadline](/blog/missed-10-day-dmv-hearing-deadline-dui), the suspension usually starts automatically. Our post on [how the DMV hearing works](/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-dui-dmv-hearing) covers the rest. ## How California compares with other states [MADD counts](https://madd.org/ignition-interlocks/) 34 states plus Washington, D.C. that require an interlock for everyone convicted of drunk driving, first offenders included. California isn't one of them, because most first-time offenders here can pick the restricted license instead. Some examples from other states: - Arizona requires an IID for nearly every DUI conviction, including a first offense. - New York's Leandra's Law requires an IID for every DWI conviction, first offense included, for at least 12 months. - Washington requires an IID after any DUI conviction, first offense included. - Nevada has required an IID for all DUI convictions since 2018. For a first offense it's about 185 days. - Texas and Florida look more like California. They generally require interlocks for repeat offenders and for first offenders with a BAC of 0.15% or higher, but not for every first offense. Our guide to [how DUI laws differ from state to state](/blog/how-dui-laws-differ-from-state-to-state) compares BAC limits, jail minimums and what happens when you're convicted out of state. ## Where the bill stands now [PLACEHOLDER: UPDATE WITH FINAL STATUS: signed, vetoed, or died on the Senate floor.] When CalMatters reported the story, the amended bill was waiting for a vote on the Senate floor, and Petrie-Norris said she was trying to amend it again to fix what she called "unintended consequences." If the first-offense requirement doesn't come back this session, expect a similar bill in a later one. ## What this means if you were just arrested A first DUI in California still doesn't automatically mean an interlock. In most first-offense cases without an injury, you can still choose between 6 months with an IID and a year on a restricted license. Which one makes sense depends on your job, how far you drive and how the case turns out. Start with [what to do in the first 24 hours after a DUI arrest](/blog/first-24-hours-after-dui-arrest-california), request your DMV hearing within 10 days, and talk to a DUI defense attorney before you [enter any plea](/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-plead-no-contest-in-a-dui-case). ## Frequently asked questions ### Does California require an ignition interlock for a first DUI? Not automatically. Most first-time offenders whose case didn't involve an injury can choose 6 months with an IID or a 1-year restricted license without one. AB 1830 would have made the IID mandatory, but the Senate took that part out. ### What was AB 1830? A 2026 bill by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris. It would have required an ignition interlock device for every alcohol-related DUI conviction in California, first offenses included. ### How many states require interlocks for first-time DUI offenders? MADD counts 34 states plus Washington, D.C. that require interlocks for everyone convicted of drunk driving. ### Who pays for an ignition interlock device? The driver pays for installation, monthly monitoring and calibration, and removal. Drivers with lower incomes can qualify for reduced fees. --- ## Contact H Law Group - Phone: (888) 499-4948 (phones answered 24/7) - Email: info@thehlawgroup.com - Free consultation: https://www.thehfirm.com/free-consultation - Contact form: https://www.thehfirm.com/contact-us ### Offices - Los Angeles Branch: 714 W Olympic Blvd Ste, 803, Los Angeles, CA 90015 -- (213) 985-4431 - San Diego Branch: 600 W Broadway, Suite 700, San Diego, CA 92101 -- (619) 716-0968 - San Jose Branch: 333 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95110 -- (408) 869-6572 - Orange County Branch: 2030 Main St, # 1300, Irvine, CA 92614 -- (949) 832-8057 - Riverside County Branch: 41593 Winchester Rd, Suite 200, Temecula, CA 92590 -- (951) 418-3576 - Santa Barbara Branch: 1117 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 -- (888) 499-4948 ### Disclaimer This website provides general legal information only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For legal advice about your specific situation, contact H Law Group directly.