A New Jersey father who lost his son testified at a Senate committee hearing Thursday in favor of strengthening DWI laws.

Michael Partipilo said his son might still be alive if the state was tougher on repeat drunk drivers. Partipilo said the driver who killed his son in 2004 had four previous DWI convictions. According to Partipilo, current laws and flaws in the system allowed that driver to be treated as a first-time offender.

?They?re a danger, these repeat offenders and our system keeps letting them out,? Partipilo said. ?Look what happened with our son. The same thing could easily [have] happened to someone else.?

Under the current laws, drunk drivers can be treated as first-time offenders if 10 or more years have passed since the last conviction. Prosecutors don?t believe that?s a good policy.

The Senate committee passed two bills. The first bill will give repeat offenders tougher sentences. The second bill increases jail time from 10 days to 30 days for convicted drunk drivers caught driving with a suspended license.

For an extended interview with Partipilo, go to channel 612 on your iO digital cable box and select iO extra.