Gordon Forgey

Washington is looking at increasing penalties for driving under the influence.

A working group meeting this week mulled over a number of ideas that could cut down on drinking and driving.

Some of the ideas under consideration include lifetime driving bans for repeat offenders, decreasing the threshold for felony convictions, greater use of interlock systems on automobiles and more active roadside checks.

A sticking point in the discussions is money.

The state cannot undertake massive new plans and programs. Increased penalties would lead to more incarceration and the need for more jails, and t...