Colorado state lawmakers gave in to years of pressure from the federal government, agreeing to lower the state’s blood-alcohol limit for drunken driving on the final day of the legislative session.

The bill, approved as both houses wrapped up their business May 5, would lower the drunken-driving threshold from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent. It now heads to Gov. Bill Owens, who is expected to sign it.

Included in the bill are provisions permitting liquor stores to hand out drink samples and restaurant customers to take home partially consumed bottles of wine, The Denver Post reported.

Passage of HB1021 would bring the state in compliance with a federal decree that states adopt the lower limit or lose federal highway dollars. Colorado is one of only three states (Delaware and Minnesota being the others) yet to conform to the federal mandate.

Colorado’s previous refusal to adhere to the standard cost the state $4.9 million in highway dollars when lawmakers ignored the Oct. 1, 2003, deadline, the newspaper reported. The state could lose $50 million if it doesn’t lower the threshold by 2007.

States that adopt the new limit by Oct. 1, 2006, can recover the withheld funds.