Calif. Bill to Curb Teen Drinking Fails in Committee January 16, 2004
News Summary
The California Assembly Health Committee failed to pass a bill that would have added a fee to alcohol products to fund community-based alcohol recovery centers for teens, the Sacramento Bee reported Jan. 14.Casey's Bill, which is named in memory of 20-year-old Casey Goodwin,, killed by an underage drunken driver, failed on a 9-9 vote. Seven members abstained from voting.
Under the measure, makers of beer and distilled spirits would have been assessed a fee based on an annual survey of youth alcohol consumption and brand usage. The fee would be reduced as underage drinking of their brands declined.
Committee members voting against the measure said they could not support funding for a new program when the state is facing a multi-billion dollar debt.
"We have a major, major budget deficit," said Assembly Member Dario Frommer (D-Los Angeles), chairman of the Health Committee. "To me, this is going to have to wait for another day."
Assembly Member Wilma Chan (D-Oakland), who authored the bill, said the alcohol industry put a great deal of pressure on lawmakers to defeat the measure. She pledged to re-introduce the bill, possibly as soon as next year.
"I am very disappointed, but I'm not giving up," Chan said. "If more members had the time to sit down and look at the evidence, there would have been more support for the bill."
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