Bill > H0123

This bill creates a new civil violation for driving while ability impaired by establishing a new category of offense for drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.06 and 0.079. Under this proposed law, individuals with a BAC in this range would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 and would have their driving privileges suspended, similar to a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction, but without creating a criminal record. The bill amends existing Vermont law to add this new category of impaired driving, specifically defining "impaired by the consumption of alcohol" as having a BAC between 0.06 and 0.079. The new provision is distinguished from existing criminal DUI offenses, which involve higher BAC levels or clear evidence of impaired driving ability. Importantly, the bill includes provisions about evidence admissibility, such as allowing standardized field sobriety tests and Drug Recognition Expert evaluations as presumptively admissible in court. The new civil violation will take effect on July 1, 2025, providing time for legal systems and law enforcement to prepare for the change.