A bill in Iowa that would create a tougher standard for drunken driving is now law.

Gov. Tom Vilsack signed HF65, which lowered the legal blood alcohol content from 0.10 to 0.08 percent, on April 24.

The bill passed the House earlier in the session, and passed the Senate by a vote of 46-4 April 15.

Iowa is one of several states that either considered or passed similar bills this year.

A 2000 federal law requires each state's legislature to adopt the 0.08 limit by 2004 or lose 2 percent of its highway money. Iowa would have forfeited about $47 million in federal highway funds if it had failed to act, The Quad-City Times reported. States that adopt the new limit by 2007 can recover the withheld funds.