Assigned to GOV & JUD                                                                                            AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

 

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

 FINAL REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1089

 

alcohol offenses; 0.08 alcohol concentration. . .

 

Purpose

 

Lowers the legal level of intoxication allowable while operating a motor vehicle from 0.10 to 0.08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

 

Background

 

In 2000, Congress and the President agreed to a national .08 percent BAC standard for drunk driving and established sanctions against states that do not abide by the mandate.  The legislation withholds federal highway funds from states that fail to adopt a BAC standard of 0.08 by FY 2004.  States that do not adopt this standard will lose a portion of their highway funds each year, beginning in FY 2004.  If states come into compliance by the end of 2007, funds withheld by sanction are restored to the state’s apportionment.  S.B. 1089 brings Arizona into compliance with the federal requirement.

 

The preliminary estimated financial impact of these sanctions on the State of Arizona is as follows:

 

                                    Fiscal Year                                           Penalties

                                    2% in 2004                                          $ 6,858,820

                                    4% in 2005                                          $13,717,641

                                    6% in 2006                                          $20,576,461

                                    8% in 2007                                          $27,435,282

                                    Total                                                   $68,588,204

                                    Source: National Conference of State Legislatures

 

The federal funds affected would include monies issued for interstate maintenance, surface transportation and National Highway System needs.  Federal transportation monies are distributed on a reimbursement basis; state monies are originally expended for transportation projects and are then reimbursed by the federal government.  Depending on the geographic location of such projects, Arizona’s state highway fund and the regional area road fund may be negatively impacted. 

 

The exact fiscal impact of this legislation is undetermined.

 

 

 

 

 

Provisions

 

1.      Lowers the required BAC from .10 to .08 for consideration as driving under the influence.

 

2.      Makes technical and conforming changes.

 

3.      Contains a delayed effective date of September 1, 2001.

 

Amendments Adopted by Government Committee

 

Makes a conforming change.

 

Amendments Adopted by Judiciary Committee

 

Delays the effective date to July 1, 2002.

 

Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives

 

Changes the effective date from June 30, 2002 to August 31, 2001.

 

Senate Action                                                                 House Action

 

GOV                1/22/01            DPA    5-1-0-0                        TRANS     3/26/01      DPA    8-1-0-1-0       

JUD                 1/23/01            DPA    4-2-2-0                        3rd Read     3/29/01                  40-1-19-0

3rd Read           2/14/01                        25-5-0-0

Final Passage  4/5/01                            24-5-1-0

 

Signed by the Governor

Chapter 95

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

April 23, 2001