By
Eric Swedlund
Arizona Daily Wildcat
PHOENIX - Arizona lawmakers have taken a firm stance in favor of lowering the DUI limit to 0.08 blood alcohol concentration.
The state House of Representatives yesterday approved the measure, five days after the Senate voted in favor of its own 0.08 bill.
Both bills would effectively lower the presumptive standard for DUI in Arizona to 0.08 BAC from the current 0.10.
House Bill 2485, sponsored by Rep. Dean Cooley, R-Mesa, needed two-thirds approval from the body because it contains an emergency clause, which would make it law immediately upon receiving Gov. Jane Hull's signature instead of the usual 90-day wait.
The House passed HB 2485 by a 53-5 vote.
The Senate passed its 0.08 bill, SB 1089, Wednesday by a 25-5 vote. Sen. Andy Nichols, D-Tucson, sponsored the measure.
Both houses have also passed bills that would lower the limit for extreme drunken driving to 0.15 from 0.18.
Senate President Randall Gnant, R-Scottsdale, said he doesn't know if the Senate will consider echoing the House's emergency measures.
Francie Noyes, Hull's press secretary, said that in general, the governor supports efforts to set stricter DUI limits.
"Clearly, drunk driving is a major problem," Noyes said, adding that Hull is in favor of the lower limits.
