(Des Moines)– With little debate, the Iowa Senate has unanimously approved a measure toughening the state’s law against operating a boat while intoxicated.
Under the measure, the blood-alcohol level that would bring an automatic conviction would drop to point-zero-eight of a percent, down from the current level of one tenth of a percent.
The new standard is the same as the one for drunken driving of a motor vehicle. Boosters of the bill say it’s only fair for the standard to be the same on the water as it is on the road.
State officials say there were 42 arrests for operating a boat while intoxicated last year. They say 20 percent of all boating accidents involve alcohol.
The Senate approved the measure on a 50-to-zero vote.
That sends it to the House, where it appears likely to win approval.
(Story from the Associated Press.).
