I’ve had it with missed opportunities to keep people alive,” said Gov. Josh Green, M.D., at a January news conference where state Sen. Karl Rhoads announced renewed support for a bill to lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for driving from 0.08% to 0.05%.

Me, too, governor. Me, too.

Last year, after Senate Bill 160 was denied a hearing by the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee, I warned there is a price to procrastination. And, I asked, “How many more lives will be lost or changed forever before the next legislative session?”

Today, in the words of Yogi Berra, “It’s deja vu all over again.” House Bill 1935, which was passed the House Committee on Transportation in early February, was denied a hearing by the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee Chairman, an action that has killed the bill for this legislative session.

The Transportation Committee deemed this measure worthy of consideration, moving the bill forward after a hearing where 79 people testified in support of the legislation, and only one testified against it. Among the notable organizations testifying were the National Transportation Safety Board, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Hawaii County Prosecutor’s Office, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the Hawaii Bicycling League. In addition, personal stories from Ed Werner, Camlyn Pola, Charlene Brown and others underscored the immeasurable impact the bill could have in saving lives and preventing future tragedies.

Despite all that and the fact the bill passed the Senate last year, one legislator has the power to shut it all down, silencing public discourse for a bill that’s received such strong support.

While the total of alcohol-related traffic fatalities across our state in 2023 is not yet available, it doesn’t matter. We know the number is more than one, and that’s too many. Factor in the pain and devastation families and friends must face every single day, and don’t forget about other lives permanently changed due to the actions of impaired drivers.

When our lawmakers press pause on opportunities to save lives and refuse to engage in public discussion, we need to ask why. Especially when the data is clear.

A 0.05% BAC law is recommended by numerous national and international organizations as the most effective legislation to reduce alcohol-impaired driving.

For nearly 20 years, an estimated 40% of all traffic deaths in Hawaii have involved alcohol.

Most drivers are significantly impaired at a 0.05% BAC, increasing the risk of a crash.

Reducing the BAC to 0.05% is linked to fewer instances of impaired driving and its consequences.

A December 2022 statewide poll of Hawaii voters showed that the majority (62%) of the state’s voters support lowering the BAC from 0.08% to 0.05% (“Hawaii Alcohol Policies Study,” SMS Research).

Lowering the BAC to 0.05% is a general deterrent to impaired driving and affects all would-be-drinking drivers; contrary to popular belief, it does not reduce alcohol sales.

More than 100 countries have reduced their legal BAC levels to 0.05% or lower. Specifically, all states in Australia have a 0.05% BAC limit. France, Austria, Italy, Spain and Germany have lowered their limit to 0.05% BAC, while Sweden, Norway, Japan and Russia have set their limit at 0.02% BAC. In most of those countries, traffic fatalities in which drivers had an illegal BAC are under 25%, with many falling in the single-digit range.

There are currently two Senate bills with the same intent as House Bill 1935. The only cost to this legislation is in failing to pass it for a fourth year in a row. It’s a cost that’s way too high. I implore our lawmakers, “Please, don’t let us down again.”

Cynthia Okazaki, a community volunteer and advocate for road safety, retired from Parents and Children Together (PACT) in 2016.