SALEM - Drunk drivers who kill others while behind the wheel would spend more time behind bars under a bill the Senate unanimously passed Monday.

Under the measure, a first-time offender would spend three years in jail, up from the current 18-month sentence. Repeat offenders would get proportionately longer sentences.

Lawmakers said they wanted to send a strong message to drunk drivers about the consequences of their actions.

"These are not just errors in judgment," said Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin. "What they really are is crime that costs people their lives."

Senate Bill 421 now goes to the House, where it is expected to pass. The measure is part of a half dozen bills this session - some passed, others still pending - that aim to crack down on drunk drivers.

Those include a $500 to $1,000 fine for refusing a breathalyzer test and a lifetime driver's license suspension for people who are caught driving drunk three times.

In 2002, 200 Oregonians were killed and another 2,000 were injured by drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

Anne Pratt, whose son was killed by a drunk driver in 1998, looked on Monday as the Senate passed the bill. She and husband Bruce Pratt have pushed lawmakers all session to stiffen drunk driving penalties.

Pratt said her son's killer only spent about 20 months in jail and was later caught twice driving with a suspended license.

"It's not long enough for them to change their behavior," Pratt said, referring to the length of the current sentences. "And for the victims' family, it's a lifelong sentence. There is no closure."

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On the Net:

Senate Bill 421

http://www.leg.state.or.us