A proposal to reduce the state’s blood alcohol concentration threshold for drunken driving charges has passed its first committee in the state Legislature.
House Bill 1935 would, if passed, reduce the legal BAC limit in Hawaii from 0.08% to 0.05%, which would be tied with Utah for the lowest in the nation.
Despite popularity among testifiers at a Tuesday meeting of the House Transportation Committee, Chair Rep. Chris Todd of Hilo, who introduced the measure, deferred the bill until Thursday to review data related to Utah’s implementation of the reduced BAC limit.
However, the committee voted to pass the measure Thursday after making several amendments.
Those amendments included allowances for those convicted of a DUI with a BAC between 0.05% and 0.079% to possibly have their records expunged after meeting certain criteria, an indefinite funding appropriation for a public education campaign about the reduced limit, and a delayed implementation of the measure to allow that campaign to spread awareness.
”This progress is monumental for our cause,” said Rick Collins, director of the Hawaii Alcohol Policy Alliance, in a statement. “It is the first time this measure has been heard in the House and subsequently passed out of its inaugural committee.
“We extend a huge mahalo to … Todd and (Oahu Rep. and committee Vice Chair Darius) Kila for their leadership and to the committee members for supporting this legislation.”
Honolulu Rep. Micah Aiu was the only committee member to vote against the bill.
The bill also has been referred to the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, which has not scheduled a hearing for the measure.