Lawmakers introduce bill that would lower blood alcohol limit in Washington
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A bill making its way through the Washington state legislature would lower our state’s blood alcohol limit from .08 to .05.
House Bill 2196 was introduced by Rep. Brandy Donaghy from Mill Creek.
If passed, it would make Washington only the second state in the country to lower the limit.
Utah’s legislature made the change in 2017.
FILE-Glasses of beer are served at a restaurant and bar in San Francisco, Ca. (Photo By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
In its first year, the state saw the deadly crash rate decrease by nearly 20%.
Several people spoke in support of the Bill in Olympia, including representatives from Gov. Jay Inslee’s office, Washington State Patrol, and the Department of Health.
>> Gov. Inslee endorses bill to lower blood alcohol level in Washington
Lawmakers also heard opposition to the bill, including from representatives from the Washington Hospitality Association, who said that it would make businesses and employees more liable for over-serving customers.
More than 800 people were killed in car crashes in our state last year.
Gov. Inslee supports proposed bill to lower BAC limit
The number of deadly traffic crashes in Washington soared to a level not seen since 1990, according to Washington Traffic Safety Commission. Preliminary reports show 745 people were killed on the roads in 2022. WTSC said more than half of the deadly crashes involved impairment from drugs and alcohol.
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Of those deaths, more than half involved impaired drivers.
A similar bill made its way through the legislature in 2023, but ultimately failed.