2007 Senate Bill 35: Ban alcohol testing on minors who aren’t driving

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Introduced by Sen. Michael Switalski (D) on January 24, 2007, to prohibit law enforcement authorities from requiring a minor who is not driving a vehicle to submit to a chemical test to determine whether he or she has consumed alcoholic liquor.
- Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 24, 2007.

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1) there, you have said it by Anonymous Citizen on January 30, 2007
"if law enforcement has a REASON".

if this law passes, it will no longer have to have a REASON to stop you (interfere with your liberty), test you (cause you to incriminate yourself), and punish you both physically (putting you in jail) or financially (fine you heavily).

this kind of behavior by law enforcement is EXACTLY what the 4th and 5th amendment to the united states constitution was written to prevent.

are the police going to be prevented from testing adults? of course not.

are the police going to be punished if they do? of course not.

are the police going to use this to violate your rights? of course they are.

if you think that "random stops" in an automobile are fun, wait till you see what happens when THIS law passes.
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2) sending the wrong by Anonymous Citizen on January 30, 2007
message?

what message are YOU sending your kids?

MUST you have law enforcement do EVERYTHING for you?

it is PRIMARILY YOUR JOB to keep YOUR CHILDREN out of the alcohol.

no, it isn't easy.

but no, it isn't impossible.

don't let law enforcement take over another one of YOUR JOBS.

this bill sends a message that the government must and will watch over you.

where will governmental intervention end?

how will we stop them from breathalyzing you and I?

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3) Big Mistake by Anonymous Citizen on January 30, 2007
Once again we are looking to pass laws that will tie law enforcement’s hands and send the message to our children that breaking the law is ok. Underage drinking laws are not about removing rights they are about saving kids lives.

Only 38% of the underage drinking related deaths in the United States are to due to vehicle accidents that involve underage drinking. The other 62% of underage drinking related deaths are homicide, suicide and unintentional accidents (NIAAA, Alcohol Alerts No. 67). Unintentional accidents such as drowning, falls and alcohol poisoning. I have no doubt that anyone of those kid’s loved ones wishes law enforcement would have been able to intervene.

Drinking under the age of 21 is illegal! If law enforcement has reason to believe that a kid has been drinking they have a duty to enforce that law. We as parents and community members need to support law enforcement not undermined them.

Passing this legislation would tie law enforcement’s hands, increase the number of underage drinking related deaths and send the wrong message to our children.

E.J. McAndrew, B.S.W.
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
Mother of Three

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