SB1285

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the amount of traffic fatalities is greatly reflected in the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration. Driving with a blood alcohol concentration of even .05 grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of blood can impair driving ability and lead to a greater chance of a fatal crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2022 that thirty-two per cent of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involved drunk drivers. Over fifty countries around the world have a legal limit of .05 grams blood alcohol concentration including Belgium, Demark, Egypt, France, the Philippines, and more. Studies provide evidence that lower thresholds for driving under the influence citations help prevent crashes and deaths especially between .05 grams and .08 grams blood alcohol concentration, as people are more conscientious and wait longer before driving.

The legislature further finds that the blood alcohol concentration of .05 grams is beneficial for restaurant and bar business sales. As a result of increased precaution with lower blood alcohol limits, people feel they can freely order more drinks on average than they otherwise would because they may spend more time at restaurants and bars, and more frequently plan to arrange designated drivers, rideshares, or alternate transportation.

The legislature further notes that there is significant evidence at both the international and national level in countless cities, states, and countries that lowering the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration reduces drunk driving. In 1980, more than half of the United States had a legal limit of .10 grams blood alcohol concentration including Hawaii. In 2000, only nineteen states had lowered their blood alcohol concentration limits to .08 grams, which became the new national standard four years later. A study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that between 1982 and 2014, states lowering their blood alcohol concentration limits to .08 grams reduced annual fatalities by 10.4 per cent.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Increase safer transportation and reduce deaths on Hawaii's roadways due to alcohol consumption by establishing a new traffic fine for those driving with a blood alcohol concentration between .05 grams and .079 grams; and

(2) Prohibit a prosecuting attorney from dismissing a charge for violation of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant in exchange for a defendant's agreement to a change of plea on a lesser charge.

SECTION 2. Chapter 291E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part IV to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§291E- Operating a vehicle while impaired. (a) A person commits the offense of operating a vehicle while impaired if the person operates or assumes actual physical control of a vehicle while having a blood alcohol concentration equal to or greater than .05 grams but less than .08 grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters or cubic centimeters of blood, or .05 grams but less than .08 grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath.

(b) A person committing the offense of operating a vehicle while impaired shall be fined $ .

(c) The penalty established under this section shall be in addition to any other penalty established and imposed under this chapter.

(d) The department of transportation may implement

administrative actions against any person who violates this section."

SECTION 3. Section 291E-61, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§291E-61 Operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant. (a) A person commits the offense of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant if the person operates or assumes actual physical control of a vehicle:

(1) While under the influence of alcohol in an amount sufficient to impair the person's normal mental faculties or ability to care for the person and guard against casualty;

(2) While under the influence of any drug that impairs the person's ability to operate the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner;

(3) With .08 or more grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath; or

(4) With .08 or more grams of alcohol per one hundred milliliters or cubic centimeters of blood.

(b) A person committing the offense of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant shall be sentenced without possibility of probation or suspension of sentence as follows:

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (4), for the first offense, or any offense not preceded within a ten-year period by a conviction for an offense under this section or section 291E-4(a):

(A) A fourteen-hour minimum substance abuse rehabilitation program, including education and counseling, or other comparable programs deemed appropriate by the court;

(B) Revocation of license to operate a vehicle for no less than one year and no more than eighteen months;

(D) Any one or more of the following:

(i) Seventy-two hours of community service work;

(ii) [No] Not less than forty-eight hours and [no] not more than five days of imprisonment; or

(iii) A fine of [no] not less than $250 and [no] not more than $1,000;

(E) A surcharge of $25 to be deposited into the neurotrauma special fund; and

(F) A surcharge, if the court so orders, or up to $25 to be deposited into the trauma system special fund;

(2) For an offense that occurs within ten years of a prior conviction for an offense under this section:

(A) A substance abuse program of at least thirty-six hours, including education and counseling, or other comparable programs deemed appropriate by the court;

(B) Revocation of license to operate a vehicle for [no] not less than two years and [no] not more than three years;

(D) Either one of the following:

(i) [No] Not less than two hundred forty hours of community service work; or

(ii) [No] Not less than five days and [no] not more than thirty days of imprisonment, of which at least forty-eight hours shall be served consecutively;

(E) A fine of [no] not less than $1,000 and [no] not more than $3,000, to be deposited into the drug and alcohol toxicology testing laboratory special fund;

(F) A surcharge of $25 to be deposited into the neurotrauma special fund; and

(G) A surcharge of up to $50, if the court so orders, to be deposited into the trauma system special fund;

(3) In addition to a sentence imposed under paragraphs (1) and (2), any person eighteen years of age or older who is convicted under this section and who operated a vehicle with a passenger, in or on the vehicle, who was younger than fifteen years of age, shall be sentenced to an additional mandatory fine of $500 and an additional mandatory term of imprisonment of forty-eight hours; provided that the total term of imprisonment for a person convicted under this paragraph shall not exceed the maximum term of imprisonment provided in paragraph (1) or (2), as applicable. Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), the revocation period for a person sentenced under this paragraph shall be [no] not less than two years;

(4) In addition to a sentence imposed under paragraph (1), for a first offense under this section, or an offense not preceded within a ten-year period by a conviction for an offense, any person who is convicted under this section and was a highly intoxicated driver at the time of the subject incident shall be sentenced to an additional mandatory term of imprisonment for forty-eight consecutive hours and an additional mandatory revocation period of six months; provided that the total term of imprisonment for a person convicted under this paragraph shall not exceed the maximum term of imprisonment provided in paragraph (1). Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the revocation period for a person sentenced under this paragraph shall be [no] not less than eighteen months;

(5) In addition to a sentence under paragraph (2), for an offense that occurs within ten years of a prior conviction for an offense under this section, any person who is convicted under this section and was a highly intoxicated driver at the time of the subject incident shall be sentenced to an additional mandatory term of imprisonment of ten consecutive days and an additional mandatory revocation period of one year; provided that the total term of imprisonment for a person convicted under this paragraph shall not exceed the maximum term of imprisonment provided in paragraph (2), as applicable. Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the revocation period for a person sentenced under this paragraph shall be [no] not less than three years;

(6) A person sentenced pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) may file a motion for early termination of the applicable revocation period if the person:

(A) Was not sentenced to any additional mandatory revocation period pursuant to paragraph (3) or (4);

(B) Actually installed and maintained an ignition interlock device on all vehicles operated by the person for a continuous period of six months, after which the person maintained the ignition interlock device on all vehicles operated by the person for a continuous period of three months without violation;

(C) Includes with the person's motion for early termination a certified court abstract establishing that the person was not sentenced to any additional mandatory revocation period pursuant to paragraph (3) or (4);

(D) Includes with the person's motion for early termination a certified statement from the director of transportation establishing that:

(i) The person installed and maintained an ignition interlock device on all vehicles operated by the person for a continuous period of six months; and

(ii) After the six-month period, the person maintained the ignition interlock device on all vehicles operated by the person for a continuous period of three months without violation; and

(E) Has complied with all other sentencing requirements.

Nothing in this paragraph shall require a court to grant early termination of the revocation period if the court finds that continued use of the ignition interlock device will further the person's rehabilitation or compliance with this section;

(7) If the person demonstrates to the court that the person:

(A) Does not own or have the use of a vehicle in which the person can install an ignition interlock device during the revocation period; or

(B) Is otherwise unable to drive during the revocation period,

the person shall be prohibited from driving during the period of applicable revocation provided in paragraphs (1) to (5); provided that the person shall be sentenced to the maximum license revocation period, the court shall not issue an ignition interlock permit pursuant to subsection (i), and the person shall be subject to the penalties provided by section 291E-62 if the person drives during the applicable revocation period; and

(8) For purposes of this subsection, "violation" means:

(A) Providing a sample of .04 or more grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath when starting the vehicle, unless a subsequent test performed within ten minutes registers a breath alcohol concentration lower than .02 and the digital image confirmed the same person provided both samples;

(B) Providing a sample of .04 or more grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of breath on a rolling retest, unless a subsequent test performed within ten minutes registers a breath alcohol concentration lower than .02 and the digital image confirms the same person provided both samples;

(D) Violating section 291E-66; or

(E) Failing to provide a clear photo of the person when the person blows into the ignition interlock device.

(1) A defendant whose license is expired, suspended, or revoked as a result of action other than the instant offense;

(2) A defendant who does not hold a valid license at the time of the instant offense;

(3) A defendant who holds either a category 4 license under section 286-102(b) or a commercial driver's license under section 286-239(a), unless the ignition interlock permit is restricted to a category 1, 2, or 3 license under section 286-102(b); or

(4) A defendant who holds a license that is a learner's permit or instruction permit.

(d) Except as provided in subsection (c), the court may issue a separate permit authorizing a defendant to operate a vehicle owned by the defendant's employer during the period of revocation without installation of an ignition interlock device if the defendant is gainfully employed in a position that requires driving and the defendant will be discharged if prohibited from driving a vehicle not equipped with an ignition interlock device.

(e) A request made pursuant to subsection (d) shall be accompanied by:

(1) A sworn statement from the defendant containing facts establishing that the defendant currently is employed in a position that requires driving and that the defendant will be discharged if prohibited from driving a vehicle not equipped with an ignition interlock device; and

(2) A sworn statement from the defendant's employer establishing that the employer will, in fact, discharge the defendant if the defendant cannot drive a vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock device and identifying the specific vehicle the defendant will drive for purposes of employment and the hours of the day, not to exceed twelve hours per day, or the period of the specified assigned hours of work, the defendant will drive the vehicle for purposes of employment.

(f) A permit issued pursuant to subsection (d) shall include restrictions allowing the defendant to drive:

(1) Only during specified hours of employment, not to exceed twelve hours per day, or the period of the specified assigned hours of work, and only for activities solely within the scope of the employment;

(2) Only the vehicle specified; and

(3) Only if the permit is kept in the defendant's possession while operating the employer's vehicle.

(g) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, any:

(1) Conviction under this section, section 291E-4(a), or section 291E-61.5;

(2) Conviction in any other state or federal jurisdiction for an offense that is comparable to operating or being in physical control of a vehicle while having either an unlawful alcohol concentration or an unlawful drug content in the blood or urine or while under the influence of an intoxicant or habitually operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant; or

(3) Adjudication of a minor for a law violation that, if committed by an adult, would constitute a violation of this section or an offense under section 291E-4(a), or section 291E-61.5,

shall be considered a prior conviction for the purposes of imposing sentence under this section. Any judgment on a verdict or a finding of guilty, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or an adjudication, in the case of a minor, that at the time of the offense has not been expunged by pardon, reversed, or set aside shall be deemed a prior conviction under this section.

(h) Whenever a court sentences a person pursuant to subsection (b), it also shall require that the offender be referred to the driver's education program for an assessment, by a certified substance abuse counselor deemed appropriate by the court, of the offender's substance abuse or dependence and the need for appropriate treatment. The counselor shall submit a report with recommendations to the court. The court shall require the offender to obtain appropriate treatment if the counselor's assessment establishes the offender's substance abuse or dependence. All costs for assessment and treatment shall be borne by the offender.

(i) Upon proof that the defendant has:

(1) Installed an ignition interlock device in any vehicle the defendant operates pursuant to subsection (b); and

(2) Obtained motor vehicle insurance or self-insurance that complies with the requirements under either section 431:10C-104 or section 431:10C-105,

the court shall issue an ignition interlock permit that will allow the defendant to drive a vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device during the revocation period.

(j) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, whenever a court revokes a person's driver's license pursuant to this section, the examiner of drivers shall not grant to the person a new driver's license until the expiration of the period of revocation determined by the court. After the period of revocation is completed, the person may apply for and the examiner of drivers may grant to the person a new driver's license.

(k) Any person sentenced under this section may be ordered to reimburse the county for the cost of any blood or urine tests conducted pursuant to section 291E-11. The court shall order the person to make restitution in a lump sum, or in a series of prorated installments, to the police department or other agency incurring the expense of the blood or urine test. Except as provided in section 291E-5, installation and maintenance of the ignition interlock device required by subsection (b) shall be at the defendant's own expense.

(l) A prosecuting attorney shall not dismiss a charge for a violation of this section in exchange for a defendant's agreement to a change of plea on a lesser charge, including a charge for a violation of section 291E- , or for any other reason, unless the charge is not supported by probable cause or cannot be proven at trial.

[~~(l)~~] (m) As used in this section, the term "examiner of drivers" has the same meaning as provided in section 286-2."

SECTION 4. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1285
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII