Bill to lower blood alcohol limit moves to Hawkins committee

OLYMPIA — A bill is on the move to reduce the required blood-alcohol level to prove drunken driving in Washington.

The proposal to set a .05 percent level passed the state Senate’s Law and Justice committee on Thursday. A proposal from Sen. Mike Padden to instead lower the limit just two point, to .06 percent, failed to advance.

The bill now heads to the Senate Transportation Committee, where 12^th District Senator Brad Hawkins holds a seat.

Hawkins told NCWLIFE in an email statement, “Generally speaking, without yet having the opportunity to hear testimony on the bill, I support the concept. To think that a person is not impaired or totally safe driving with an alcohol concentration of slightly below .08 is unrealistic.”