LANSING —With House and Senate approval, bipartisan legislation to maintain Michigan’s 0.08 blood alcohol content (BAC) threshold for drunk driving offenses, helping to keep Michigan’s roads safe for residents and families, is on the way to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
Without Rep. Patrick Green’s (D-Warren) House Bill 4548 and Rep. Klint Kesto’s (R-Commerce Township) House Bill 4547, Michigan’s .08 BAC threshold would revert back to 0.10 on October 1, 2018. This could result in Michigan potentially losing millions of dollars in federal-aid highway funds.
“Every year the 0.08 BAC standard is in place, our roads are safer,” said Green. “These bipartisan bills that Rep. Kesto and I have sponsored, prevent the state from allowing a higher BAC, which would result in less federal transportation dollars coming into Michigan and would make our roads more dangerous. I am glad my colleagues and I were able to work together across the aisle to make progress on this important public safety issue.”
In 2003, Michigan enacted Public Act 61, which lowered the BAC level to 0.08 with a 10-year sunset provision. Public Act 23 of 2013 extended the sunset on the 0.08 BAC level for another five years to Oct. 1, 2018.
“Extending the sunset will ensure the continued safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians, as well as allowing our state to maintain current levels of federal transportation funding,” said Green. “Investing in our state’s infrastructure has been a top priority of mine, and these bills solidify our current levels of federal funding – almost one third of our highway funding. My legislation keeps our roads safe and maintained, and I am excited to see these bills become law.”