Push to Lower Drunk Driving Limit to 0.05 Stalls in Olympia

Legislation to reduce the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers in Washington fails to advance in the state House.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A bill to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers in Washington from 0.08% to 0.05% stalled in the state House Community Safety Committee, despite passing the state Senate. The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Sen. John Lovick, aimed to make Washington's roads safer by aligning the state with Utah, which has the nation's toughest drunk driving standard. While the bill advanced further than in previous sessions, it ultimately failed to gain enough support from House Democrats to move forward.

Why it matters

Washington has seen a rise in traffic fatalities in recent years, with a significant portion linked to alcohol-impaired drivers. Supporters of the lower limit argue that it would result in fewer deadly crashes, but opponents are concerned about the impact on businesses and the potential for increased police profiling in some communities.

The details

Senate Bill 5067, sponsored by Democratic Sen. John Lovick, sought to reduce the maximum allowable blood alcohol concentration for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%. The bill passed the state Senate on a 26-23 vote, the first time such a measure cleared either chamber. However, the legislation stalled in the House Community Safety Committee, where the committee chair, Democratic Rep. Roger Goodman, said he could not gather enough support from his caucus members to advance the bill. A similar House bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Brandy Donaghy, had previously passed out of the same committee but was not considered by the full House.

  • On Tuesday, the House Community Safety Committee failed to advance Senate Bill 5067.
  • In late January, the House Community Safety Committee passed a similar bill, House Bill 2362, on a 5-4 vote.

The players

John Lovick

A Democratic state senator and the sponsor of Senate Bill 5067, which aimed to lower the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers in Washington.

Roger Goodman

A Democratic state representative and the chair of the House Community Safety Committee, where the drunk driving legislation stalled.

Brandy Donaghy

A Democratic state representative who authored House Bill 2362, a similar bill to lower the drunk driving limit, which passed out of the House Community Safety Committee but was not considered by the full House.

Brian Burnett

A Republican state representative and former sheriff who supported House Bill 2362 in the House Community Safety Committee.

Marko Liias

A Democratic state senator and the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, who said the passage of the drunk driving bill in the Senate was a "huge step" and that they would continue to push for its passage.

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What they’re saying

“Clearly there's still work to do in the House on this policy, but it took some time in the Senate to reach this point too, so I'm not discouraged — we'll get there.”

— John Lovick, State Senator (Washington State Standard)

“The bottom line is that we need to take drunk driving seriously. It's our job to keep pushing and make sure people understand that our state is an outlier, our roads are more dangerous than other states. I'm not going to give up. Too much is at stake.”

— John Lovick, State Senator (Washington State Standard)

“I'm still in. This year, my bill got out of committee. Last year it didn't.”

— Brandy Donaghy, State Representative (Washington State Standard)

“We need a whole bunch of different pieces to solve the problems. I do think (a lower limit) is one piece that is really necessary to help solve our traffic safety issues.”

— Brandy Donaghy, State Representative (Washington State Standard)

“It'll be easier to get out next year. We're not giving up until we get it passed.”

— Marko Liias, State Senator, Chair of Senate Transportation Committee (Washington State Standard)

What’s next

The sponsor of the Senate bill, Sen. John Lovick, said he is encouraged by the progress made this session and plans to continue pushing for the legislation in the next legislative session.

The takeaway

The failure to pass a law lowering the drunk driving limit in Washington highlights the ongoing debate around balancing public safety concerns with the potential impacts on businesses and civil liberties. While supporters argue the change would save lives, opponents remain unconvinced and the issue will likely continue to be a point of contention in the state legislature.