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Utah Governor Signs Nation's Strictest Drunk Driving Law

After heavy lobbying by all sides, Gov. Gary Herbert on Thursday signed a controversial bill to make Utah's laws on drunken driving the toughest in the nation — but anticipates tweaks before it takes effect late next year.

After heavy lobbying by all sides, Gov. Gary Herbert on Thursday signed a controversial bill to make Utah's laws on drunken driving the toughest in the nation — but anticipates tweaks before it takes effect late next year.

 

That happened as a new poll by The Salt Lake Tribune and the Hinckley Institute of Politics shows that Utahns are evenly split on that bill. But the bulk of support comes from non-drinking "very active" Mormons, while all other religious categories overwhelmingly oppose it — even "somewhat active" Mormons.

 

At his monthly KUED news conference, Herbert said he was signing HB155 "with some caveats." The bill would make Utah the first state to lower the blood-alcohol limit to be legally drunk while driving from 0.08 to 0.05 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).

 

 

"I don't believe, for example, that this legislation is finished," Herbert said. "There are some areas of improvement I think are warranted and are necessary."

 

He noted the bill will not take effect until Dec. 30, 2018 — so the state has a year and a half to give a "more thorough consideration of how this new standard is applied" and consider arguments raised by critics.

 

Herbert called for more study of the bill by lawmakers in coming months, and said he plans to call a special session of the Legislature in late summer to debate any needed changes.

 

Critics "are going to have an opportunity in many public hearings and meetings to be heard so we can understand and get this right. [Legislative] leadership has agreed to this," Herbert said.

 

The governor said he is open to a proposal by some to allow three or four other states to enact a similar law first, and then follow, to lessen the likelihood of hurting tourism by being the first state to enforce the new limit. "Everything is on the table," he said.

 

Also, he said he is open to perhaps creating lesser penalties for those arrested with a BAC of between 0.05 and 0.08 than for those with higher levels.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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