---
title: "New California DUI Laws for 2027: Braun's Law and 3 Other Bills Explained"
description: "Newsom signed SB 907 (Braun's Law), AB 1546, AB 1685 and AB 1687 on Sept. 25, 2026. What changes on Jan. 1, 2027 and Jan. 1, 2031, checked against the bill text."
url: "https://www.thehfirm.com/new-california-dui-laws-2027"
site: "H Law Group"
published: "2026-10-05T09:00:00-07:00"
---

# New California DUI Laws for 2027: Braun's Law and 3 Other Bills Explained

Newsom signed SB 907 (Braun's Law), AB 1546, AB 1685 and AB 1687 on Sept. 25, 2026. What changes on Jan. 1, 2027 and Jan. 1, 2031, checked against the bill text.

By Nima Haddadi, former prosecutor with the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. Updated 2026-10-05.

## The short version

- Governor Newsom signed four DUI bills on September 25, 2026: SB 907 (Braun's Law), AB 1546, AB 1685 and AB 1687 (Irene's Law).
- Starting January 1, 2027, a third DUI within 10 years can be charged as a felony. It is a "wobbler": prosecutors can still file it as a misdemeanor.
- Starting January 1, 2027, a fifth DUI within 10 years (four or more priors) is a straight felony with no misdemeanor option.
- Braun's Law requires the court to give the Watson murder advisement when someone pleads to a lesser charge, such as a wet reckless, instead of DUI. It does not change the definition of murder.
- Hit-and-run sentences go up when the driver has a DUI, wet reckless or vehicular manslaughter conviction in the past 10 years.
- AB 1685 (3 DMV points for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated) and AB 1687 (six-year license loss for an injury DUI with four or more priors) do not take effect until January 1, 2031.
- A broader rewrite that included ignition interlock changes (AB 1830) did not pass. The Governor asked lawmakers to return to it in 2027.

## Key numbers

- 1,355: people killed in alcohol-impaired crashes in California in 2023 [10]
- 33%: of California traffic deaths in 2023 involved a driver at 0.08% BAC or higher [10]
- 265: alcohol-impaired traffic deaths in Los Angeles County in 2023, the most of any county [11]
- 50,900+: CHP DUI arrests in 2026 through July [5]

## What each new law does

### SB 907 (Braun's Law): Murder advisement on reduced pleas, and longer hit-and-run sentences for drivers with priors

Sen. Bob Archuleta. Chapter 443, Statutes of 2026. Effective January 1, 2027. [1] [8]

- Under existing law (Vehicle Code 23593), a person convicted of DUI is told on the record that driving under the influence is dangerous to human life and that if they drive impaired again and someone dies, they can be charged with murder. Prosecutors use that advisement in later "Watson murder" cases to show the driver knew the risk.
- Until now, the advisement attached to a DUI conviction. If the DUI was negotiated down to something else, such as a wet reckless or a hit-and-run, the person might never hear it. SB 907 adds Vehicle Code 23635(d): when a defendant pleads guilty or no contest to a different or lesser offense as a substitute for a DUI charge, the court must give the 23593 advisement.
- Hit-and-run causing injury (Vehicle Code 20001) now carries two, three or four years if the driver has a qualifying conviction within the past 10 years. Hit-and-run causing death or permanent, serious injury carries three, four or five years in the same situation. Qualifying priors are DUI (23152 or 23153), a wet reckless under 23103.5, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (Penal Code 191.5), and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence (Penal Code 192(c)(1)).
- The county jail option remains available in both hit-and-run tiers, and judges keep their existing power to reduce the minimum term in the interests of justice.

Code sections: Vehicle Code 23635, Vehicle Code 20001

### AB 1546: A third DUI in 10 years can be a felony; a fifth is always one

Asm. Nick Schultz. Chapter 444, Statutes of 2026. Effective January 1, 2027. [2]

- Third DUI within 10 years (two priors): today this is a misdemeanor with 120 days to one year in county jail. Under AB 1546 it becomes a wobbler. Prosecutors can file it as a misdemeanor with the same 120-day to one-year range, or as a felony carrying 16 months, two years or three years under Penal Code 1170(h).
- Fourth DUI within 10 years (three priors): stays a wobbler. The misdemeanor range is 180 days to one year in county jail.
- Fifth or later DUI within 10 years (four or more priors): becomes a straight felony under Penal Code 1170(h). The misdemeanor option is gone.
- These rules apply to DUI under Vehicle Code 23152, which covers cases where nobody was hurt. Repeat DUI causing injury (23153) was already chargeable as a felony under Vehicle Code 23566.
- Felony time under Penal Code 1170(h) is generally served in county jail, not state prison, unless another statute requires prison.

Code sections: Vehicle Code 23546, Vehicle Code 23550, Vehicle Code 23550.5, Vehicle Code 23572, Vehicle Code 14601.2 and 14601.3, Insurance Code 1861.025

### AB 1685: Three DMV points for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated

Asm. Tom Lackey. Chapter 445, Statutes of 2026. Effective January 1, 2031. [3]

- A conviction under Penal Code 191.5(a), gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, will count as three points on a California driving record instead of two.
- The DMV will be able to disclose these convictions for 10 years, the same period that already applies to DUI convictions.
- Nothing in this bill is operative until January 1, 2031.

Code sections: Vehicle Code 12810, Vehicle Code 1808

### AB 1687 (Irene's Law): Six-year license loss for an injury DUI with four or more priors

Asm. Tom Lackey. Chapter 446, Statutes of 2026. Effective January 1, 2031. [4] [6]

- Applies to a conviction for DUI causing injury (Vehicle Code 23153) when the offense happened within 10 years of four or more separate DUI or wet reckless convictions.
- The driving privilege is suspended for 72 months. Getting it back requires proof of financial responsibility and completion of a 30-month DUI program (or the 18-month program if a 30-month program isn't available in the person's county of residence or employment), or a Penal Code 8001 program.
- After 12 months, the person can apply for a restricted license if they have completed the first 12 months of the program, keep attending, install an ignition interlock device, and agree to keep it for a mandatory 72 months.
- Nothing in this bill is operative until January 1, 2031.

Code sections: Vehicle Code 13352.7 (new)

## Repeat DUI penalties before and after January 1, 2027

DUI under Vehicle Code 23152 (no injury), counting prior DUI or wet reckless convictions within 10 years.

| DUI within 10 years | Through Dec. 31, 2026 | Offense on or after Jan. 1, 2027 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1st | Misdemeanor | Misdemeanor (no change) |
| 2nd | Misdemeanor | Misdemeanor (no change) |
| 3rd (2 priors) | Misdemeanor: 120 days to 1 year county jail (VC 23546) | Wobbler: misdemeanor (120 days to 1 year) or felony (16 months, 2 or 3 years under PC 1170(h)) |
| 4th (3 priors) | Wobbler (VC 23550) | Wobbler: misdemeanor (180 days to 1 year) or felony (16 months, 2 or 3 years) |
| 5th or later (4+ priors) | Wobbler (VC 23550) | Felony only: 16 months, 2 or 3 years under PC 1170(h) |
| Any DUI after a prior felony DUI | Wobbler (VC 23550.5) | Wobbler (no change, but more people will now carry a felony prior) |

## Timeline

- May 4, 2025: Braun Levi is killed in Manhattan Beach. The 18-year-old Loyola High School tennis player was struck while crossing Sepulveda Boulevard at Ronda Drive shortly before 1 a.m. [12]
- Dec. 29, 2025: Murder charge filed. The Los Angeles County District Attorney charged the driver with murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and driving on a suspended license. The driver has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent. [12]
- 2025-26 session: A 17-bill DUI package moves through the Legislature. According to CalMatters, the package started at 17 bills, several of them prompted by the outlet's reporting on California's DUI laws. Four reached the Governor. [13]
- Aug. 2026: AB 1830 stalls on the Senate floor. The broader framework bill, which dealt with ignition interlock devices and suspension periods, did not advance before the session ended. [6]
- Sept. 25, 2026: Newsom signs four bills. SB 907, AB 1546, AB 1685 and AB 1687 are chaptered as Chapters 443 through 446. [5]
- Jan. 1, 2027: SB 907 and AB 1546 take effect. Bills signed in a regular session generally take effect on January 1 of the following year. [9]
- Jan. 1, 2031: AB 1685 and AB 1687 become operative. The points change and the six-year license suspension are delayed by their own operative-date clauses. [4]

## Headlines vs. the bill text

- "A third DUI is now a felony." A third DUI within 10 years can be charged as a felony. It is a wobbler, so it can still be filed or resolved as a misdemeanor, and it only applies to offenses on or after January 1, 2027. [2]
- "Fourth DUIs become felonies." A fourth DUI within 10 years was already a wobbler and stays one. The new straight-felony rule starts at the fifth DUI (four or more priors). [2]
- "Braun's Law makes it easier to charge murder." SB 907 doesn't change the elements of murder. It makes sure people who plead DUI down to a lesser charge receive the same on-the-record murder warning as people convicted of DUI. Prosecutors can later use that warning as evidence the driver knew the danger. [1]
- "Repeat offenders will go to state prison." The new felony DUI sentences in AB 1546 run under Penal Code 1170(h), which generally means county jail, not state prison. [2]
- "The new laws start in January." Two of them do. AB 1685 and AB 1687 are written to become operative on January 1, 2031. [3]
- "First-time offenders will need an ignition interlock." That proposal did not pass. The Governor's signing message says the broader framework bill, AB 1830, did not advance from the Senate floor. [6]

## Frequently asked questions

### When do California's new DUI laws take effect?

SB 907 (Braun's Law) and AB 1546 take effect January 1, 2027. AB 1685 and AB 1687 do not become operative until January 1, 2031.

### Is a third DUI a felony in California now?

For a third DUI within 10 years committed on or after January 1, 2027, prosecutors can choose to file it as a felony punishable by 16 months, two years or three years under Penal Code 1170(h). It can still be charged as a misdemeanor with 120 days to one year in county jail. Before 2027, a third DUI without injury was a misdemeanor.

### What is Braun's Law in California?

Braun's Law is SB 907, named for Braun Levi, an 18-year-old killed in a 2025 Manhattan Beach crash. It requires courts to give the Vehicle Code 23593 murder advisement when a defendant pleads to a lesser offense, such as a wet reckless, in place of a DUI charge. It also raises hit-and-run sentences for drivers with a DUI-related conviction in the past 10 years.

### Does a wet reckless plea still help after Braun's Law?

A wet reckless is still a different conviction from a DUI, with different penalties. Starting in 2027, though, it will come with the same murder advisement a DUI conviction carries, and a wet reckless already counts as a prior for later DUI sentencing. Whether a reduced plea makes sense depends on the facts of a specific case.

### Do DUI convictions from before 2027 count under the new law?

Generally, the higher penalties can apply only to an offense committed on or after the law's effective date. Prior convictions from before 2027 can still count if they fall inside the 10-year lookback window.

### Did California pass an ignition interlock requirement for first-time DUI offenders?

No. That proposal did not pass in 2026. Governor Newsom asked the Legislature to return to a broader framework for suspensions, ignition interlock, treatment and restricted licenses next year.

## Sources

1. SB 907 (Archuleta), Chapter 443, Statutes of 2026: bill text. California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB907
2. AB 1546 (Schultz), Chapter 444, Statutes of 2026: bill text. California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1546
3. AB 1685 (Lackey), Chapter 445, Statutes of 2026: bill text. California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1685
4. AB 1687 (Lackey), Irene's Law, Chapter 446, Statutes of 2026: bill text. California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1687
5. Governor Newsom signs Braun's Law and package of bills to crack down on DUI offenders (Sept. 25, 2026). Office of the Governor. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/09/25/governor-newsom-signs-brauns-law-and-package-of-bills-to-crack-down-on-dui-offenders/
6. Signing message for AB 1687 (Sept. 25, 2026). Office of the Governor. https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Sign-Msg-AB-1687.pdf
7. AB 1830 bill status (did not pass). California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1830
8. Vehicle Code section 23593 (the murder advisement). California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=23593
9. California Constitution, article IV, section 8 (when statutes take effect). California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CONS&sectionNum=SEC.%208.&article=IV
10. State Alcohol-Impaired-Driving Estimates: 2023 Data (DOT HS 813 726). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813726.pdf
11. 2025 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts: Alcohol-Impaired and Alcohol-Involved Driving. UC Berkeley SafeTREC. https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/2025-safetrec-traffic-safety-facts-alcohol-impaired-and-alcohol-involved-driving
12. Woman charged with murder in DUI crash that killed Loyola High School tennis star (Dec. 29, 2025). Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. https://da.lacounty.gov/media/news/woman-charged-murder-dui-crash-killed-loyola-high-school-tennis-star
13. California's new DUI laws (Sept. 25, 2026), Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler. CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/investigation/2026/09/california-new-dui-laws-2026/
14. Newsom signs bi-partisan package of new DUI laws (Sept. 28, 2026), Damien Newton. Streetsblog California. https://cal.streetsblog.org/2026/09/28/nesom-signs-bi-partisan-package-of-new-dui-laws

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