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House committee hears testimony for and against lowering per‑se BAC to 0.05 in HB 2362
Summary
Representative Brandy Donaghy sponsored HB 2362 to lower Washington’s per‑se blood‑alcohol threshold from 0.08 to 0.05, require a statewide public education campaign, and direct an evaluation to the State Institute for Public Policy by March 1, 2028. Prosecutors, public‑health officials and the governor’s office backed the bill; hospitality trade groups and the criminal defense bar opposed it, citing mixed evidence and operational concerns.
House Bill 2362 would lower the state’s per‑se blood or breath alcohol concentration for impaired‑driving offenses from 0.08 to 0.05, require a statewide multilingual public information campaign administered by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, and direct the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to evaluate impacts by March 1, 2028. Martha Whaling, committee staff, told members the bill’s overall effective date in the draft is July 1, 2026.
Representative Brandy Donaghy, prime sponsor, described the measure as an evidence‑based public‑safety proposal aimed at preventing crashes and saving lives. "We know that when we have a few drinks, we probably feel like we're fine. Data shows us…
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