CHEYENNE - A bill that would help crack down on repeat drunken drivers received unanimous support from a Senate committee Wednesday night.

House Bill 73 would make a third DUI in seven years, or five in a lifetime, a felony. Under current law, a driver is guilty of a felony if he is convicted of a fourth DUI in five years.

The sponsor of HB 73, Rep. Erin Mercer, R-Gillette, said Wyoming is living up to its reputation as a hard-drinking state, and that's contributing to more intoxicated drivers on the road.

She pointed out that the number of drunken driving convictions in Wyoming jumped from 3,480 in 2002 to almost 4,400 last year.

"This is something that is not getting better, folks," Mercer said. "This is something that needs to be addressed."

The bill received support from the Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Wyoming Prosecutors Association.

Association President Michael Blonigen said Wyoming has a significant problem with repeat drunken drivers, and Mercer's bill would make drivers more accountable.

According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, the number of drivers who received three DUI convictions in one year jumped from 12 in 2006 to 22 last year.

In Casper, where Blonigen is district attorney, the average drunken driver is arrested with a blood-alcohol content of .16 percent, which is double the legal limit in Wyoming of .08 percent, he said.

Statewide, the number of highway fatalities decreased last year, but the number of drunken drivers who were killed on the road remained steady, said Col. Sam Powell of the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

"I think when you get to that third or subsequent (DUI) offense, it's time to take the gloves off," Powell said.

HB 73 would also increase the penalties for first and second drunken driving offenses.

The maximum fine for a first offense would jump from $750 to $1,000. The maximum fine for a second offense would increase from $750 to $3,000, and the minimum jail time from seven days to 60 days.

A driver convicted of a third offense in four years or five convictions in a lifetime could serve up to 10 years in prison and pay a $10,000 fine.

The bill would take effect on July 1, and any drunken driving convictions before that date would be included in the tally, Blonigen told the committee. Those with a third DUI before the July 1 date would be treated under the existing laws.

The bill could face a tough challenge in the Senate, where a similar bill was killed earlier this session.

Mercer, whose own family has been touched by a drunken driving death, said she has been working hard to educate senators about the legislation.

"Every community in our state has seen the devastation that DUIs can cause," she told the committee.

Reach capital bureau reporter Jared Miller at (307) 632-1244 or at {M3jared.miller@trib.com.