Governor Bill Haslam has stated he will call a special session of the 109th General Assembly in an attempt to prevent the loss of $60 million in federal highway funds.
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“We are disappointed in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision”, Haslam said in a statement.
The state stands to lose $60 million after it passed a law making changes to DUI laws they later learned violated federal funding rules.
Haslam, lawmakers and the state’s attorney-general said Tennessee had other laws on the books that essentially met the federal standard, but the feds held their ground.
Haslam said discussion over whether to expel embattled Rep. Jeremy Durham would not be part of the call for a special session.
The money is under threat because the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says a change made to Tennessee law previous year puts the state of compliance with federal “zero tolerance” standards for drunk driving.
Federal officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notified the state in August that a Tennessee law that took effect in July to strengthen drunk driving penalties on drivers who are underage to drink raised the blood alcohol content level for impaired driving above the federal standard.
The law toughened DUI jail and financial penalties for 18, 19 and 20 year olds.
Haslam’s official proclamation calling for a special session in September has been set to be issued in the coming days.
Under federal law, states have to set 0.02 as the alcohol level for drivers under 21.
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Its passing, however, put the state out of compliance with a federal “zero tolerance” drunk driving statute which deals with federal highway funding on compliance with its provisions. The session requires them come back early.
