(Des Moines)– The Iowa Senate has approved a measure putting the same blood-alcohol restrictions on boat operators as apply to motor vehicle drivers.
Under the measure, boaters could be cited if they’re caught with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 of a percent. That’s down from the current 0.10 of a percent.
The Senate approved the measure Wednesday on a 40-9 vote, sending it to the house where State Representative Jeff Smith of Okoboji has introduced a companion bill.
Backers pointed to statistics from 2010 showing five fatalities in boating incidents, with three involving alcohol. Under the measure, a first offense could bring up to 48 hours in jail, a fine of $1,000 and a ban on operating a boat for a year. An alcohol-related incident causing serious injury could bring up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $7,500.
(From the Associated Press.).
