Georgia House OKs Law to Lower Boater's Legal Limit to .08
Last week, the Georgia House of Representatives approved a bill that would lower Georgia's current .10 legal limit on the waterways to .08. This means the boating under the influence (BUI) limit will be the same as a driving under the influence (DUI) charge. This bill has been a long time coming, as many have wondered the logic for allowing those operating a high speed vessel to legally consume more alcohol than there fellow drinker in a car.
State Senator Butch Miller of Gainesville sponsored Senate Bill 136 after notable deaths on Lake Lanier last year where alcohol is suspected of having a role. The proposed law must now go back to the senate, as revisions were made, but could pass this session. If passed, the final bill would also toughen other aspects of BUI law, including making a fourth charge a felony- which is already law under Georgia DUI statutes. Notably, the proposed law would also lower the legal limit to .08 for those hunting in Georgia.
So, what do you think? Is the lower alcohol limit necessary to protect those on Georgia's waterways or is there any logic for keeping the remaining limits in place?