by Emily Gersema, Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Senate brought the state closer to passing a tougher drunken driving law Wednesday night.
The measure, passed on a 48-1 vote, would change the state’s standard for illegal intoxication from 0.10 percent blood-alcohol content to 0.08 percent.
“The 0.08 standard would save lives in our state,” said Sen. Andrew McKean, R-Anamosa, adding that it could save from 10 to 16 lives a year in Iowa.
“We should have done it years ago and we’re finally doing it,” he said.
“I believe that there are people who will be alive ... that would not be alive if we were not doing it.”
Sen. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, voted against it, saying his constituents didn’t want it passed.
“It’s another thing that the federal government wants ... it’s another thing that the local police officers are going to have,” Sexton said.
Under the state’s current drunken driving law, drivers arrested with a blood-alcohol content exceeding the state standard would face automatic conviction.
States are under pressure to set the standard at 0.08 because President Clinton signed the new limit into law in 2000 and gave Iowa and all other states until 2004 to comply. States that fail to enact the new standard by then would lose millions of dollars in federal highway construction money.
Sen. Steve Hansen, D-Sioux City, asked legislators to delay the effective date for one year to allow authorities and citizens to get accustomed to the change.
“I understand that this issue is being driven a lot by emotion,” Hansen said. “But we don’t have to at least succumb to the mandate until the end of ’03.”
He also asked lawmakers to consider a more stringent standard of 0.05.
“How many lives do you think we’d save then?” Hansen asked.
Hansen examined a list to find which groups were against the bill but found that the Hospitality Association and members of the brewing industry were undecided.
“It’s because they know that 0.08 will not change the drinking habits of very many people,” he said. “Maybe a few people, but not very many. It’s window-dressing.”
Republicans questioned his proposal.
“My sense is you’re funning us a little,” Sen. Larry McKibben, R-Marshalltown, told Hansen and added that he doesn’t have an opinion on making the limit 0.05.
“Why don’t we treat the alcohol industry like we’re treating the tobacco industry right now?” Hansen asked. “If we’re serious about modifying people’s behavior, if you’re serious about lowering the death rate related to alcohol-related offenses, then you ought to lower it to 0.05.”
The state will make more money because more people, including social drinkers, will be arrested and have to pay fines, he said.
More people will be arrested, agreed Sen. Richard Drake, R-Muscatine.
“Not everybody out there’s going to like it. If the purpose of the bill is to drain the swamp, then let’s drain it,” he said.
Twenty-eight percent of about 450 fatal traffic accidents in 2001 involved drunken drivers, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving estimates the nationwide change to 0.08 will save 500 lives a year.