A bill would allow judges to sentence convicted drunk drivers to wear alcohol monitors.
The monitors, which sense alcohol through the skin, are worn as ankle bracelets. They could be worn as a condition of probation, an alternative to jail or as a way for convicts to get their licenses restored sooner.
Rep. Ronnie Sutton, a Pembroke Democrat, said he was concerned that the bill would create inequalities, since not every offender can afford to pay for the monitors.
"You're going to create two classes of citizens: Those that can afford $12 a day and those that can't," he said. (Later, he restated his objection humorously: "I was passed a note that said that Paris Hilton is in favor of this bill.")
Rep. Martha Alexander, a Charlotte Democrat, said she thinks many local governments will pay for the bracelets as an alternative to jailing drunk drivers.
The bill passed the House 107-9. It now heads back to the Senate.
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