The California Highway Patrol has awarded more than $41 million in grant funding to law enforcement agencies, crime laboratories, local governments, and nonprofit organizations across the state to strengthen efforts to combat impaired driving.
The funding, distributed through the state’s Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, will support enforcement, public education, forensic testing, and research aimed at reducing crashes caused by drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs.
The program is funded through Proposition 64, the voter-approved initiative that legalized recreational cannabis in California. A portion of the tax revenue generated from cannabis sales is dedicated to improving impaired driving prevention and enforcement.
“The substantial increase in grant funding this year will help even more communities keep California’s roadways safe,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. “These grants support education, strengthen enforcement efforts to remove impaired drivers from our roads, and expand research and forensic testing to improve traffic safety across the state.”
Supporting Local Enforcement
The largest share of the funding will go to 160 law enforcement agencies throughout California. Agencies will use the grants to conduct DUI enforcement operations, train officers as Drug Recognition Evaluators (DREs), improve their ability to detect drug-impaired drivers, and educate the public through community outreach events.
Public Education and Forensic Testing
An additional 12 agencies received grants to educate Californians about impaired driving laws and the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Another 10 agencies were awarded two-year grants to expand forensic toxicology testing, reduce laboratory backlogs, and purchase updated testing equipment. One county medical examiner’s office also received funding to improve data collection related to impaired-driving investigations.
While the CHP announcement covers agencies statewide, the grants may benefit Sacramento County residents through enhanced DUI enforcement, improved officer training, and faster forensic testing that supports impaired driving investigations.
The CHP expects to open the next application period for Cannabis Tax Fund grants in early 2027. A complete list of this year’s grant recipients is available on the CHP website.
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