Bills approved by the House

State Rep. Matt Lori played a role in a package of bills approved this week by the House Criminal Justice Committee.

Three of the bills lower the blood-alcohol content level from the current 0.10 to 0.08 percent for operators of boats, off-road vehicles and snowmobiles. Lori’s portion of the bills is specific to watercraft.

Meanwhile, Lori’s Crime Stoppers bill establishes funding for the nonprofit Crime Stoppers organization, paid for by criminals convicted of misdemeanor and felony offenses.

Under the legislation, counties would designate a Crime Stoppers organization for the region. Those convicted of felonies would be assessed an additional $10 fee and misdemeanor fees would be increased by $5. Counties would use the money – minus 10 percent that counties could use for administration costs – to fund the Crime Stoppers unit.

The bills now go to the full House for consideration.

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