HB 1387 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE USE OF INTOXICANTS WHILE OPERATING A VEHICLE.

HB 1387 lowers the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold for driving under the influence of intoxicants. It directly affects drivers operating vehicles by setting a stricter limit for when a driver is considered impaired. The bill’s key provision reduces the allowable BAC level from the current standard to a lower threshold, effective July 1, 3000. This change would make it easier for law enforcement to charge drivers with DUI at lower alcohol levels.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Feb 13, 2025

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What changed between versions

HB1387 → HB1387_HD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill lowers the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold for driving under the influence from .08 to .05 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath. It also adds a new offense for 'habitually operating a vehicle under the influence' and updates administrative revocation procedures to reflect the lower threshold. These changes aim to improve public safety by criminalizing lower levels of impairment.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of DUI offenses to include lower BAC levels and adds a new habitual offender category, making it easier to prosecute drivers with lower alcohol levels and repeat offenders.

DEFINITION

Lowered the legal BAC threshold from .08 to .05 for defining 'measurable amount of alcohol' and 'under the influence'.

REQUIREMENT

Created a new offense for 'habitually operating a vehicle under the influence' for repeat offenders.

ENFORCEMENT

Updated administrative revocation procedures to return licenses when BAC is below .05 and to forward documentation when BAC is .05 or higher.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date to July 1, 3000, with a sunset provision for repeal on June 30, 2028.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 550) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors