(Wahpeton)– Among the new laws taking affect today (Friday) in Iowa is one that lowers the blood alcohol content allowed for boat operators. They now face the same limit as motor vehicle drivers: .08 percent.
Susan Stocker, a boating educator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says according to statistics compiled over the past six years, over 50 percent of fatalities on the water involved alcohol. She says that’s just too many.
The new law had been advocated for years by many in the Iowa Great Lakes, including former State Representative Mike May. It took nearly seven years to get it passed. May says most of that time was spent trying to educate law makers in other parts of the state over the importance of the lower limit.
State Representative Jeff Smith of Okoboji who’s just completing his first session in the Legislature, says getting the bill passed in his freshman year was a daunting challenge, but that it was one he welcomed.
State Senator David Johnson of Ocheyedan tells KUOO news that had the bill not passed early in the session, it probably would have fallen by the wayside as lawmaker’s attention turned to the budget stalemate.
Previous to the new law that went into affect at 12:01 a.m. this (Friday) morning, the blood alcohol limit for boaters in Iowa was .10 percent. DNR officials say having the limit the same as for those driving motor vehicles will clear up confusion.
