Bill Requires Drinkers To Have A Designated Driver On Site [Rant]

Haughton Representative Henry Burns will be called an idiot.He probably isn't one but he will be called an idiot by a lot of people in the next couple of days.  While I applaud what I believe to be is the spirit behind his HB132 proposed legislation, I can't see how he could waste the legislature's time with a bill that has absolutely no chance of passing. If on the off chance it did pass, the legal ramifications would bankrupt the state the first time the law was enforced.

So what is HB132? Basically Representative Burns wants all drinkers to have a designated driver. That part I agree with totally. Requiring that all drinkers have a designated driver on standby at the establishment in which they are imbibing would be a lot like Louisiana Legislators being required to have someone with significant intelligence on standby before any legislation was proposed or voted on. It won't happen, or at least it hasn't happened yet.

Under Burns' proposal he wants to make it against the law to sell alcohol to a designated driver. What? How do you enforce that? While I agree that nobody should ever drink and drive the current law provides a definition of what legal intoxication is. Therefore it is possible to have a drink, eat a meal, and be deemed cognizant enough to operate a motor vehicle.  I don't encourage that behavior but I live in the real world.

I guess under Mr. Burns bill there could be a whole new cottage industry created. A group of sober drivers standing at the ready at all drinking establishments to bring intoxicated patrons to their homes safely. Oh wait! We have that already, they're called taxis.

Here is why this bill puts a bee in my bonnet. I applaud Mr. Burns for wanting to keep our roadways safe. However I am appalled that he would waste lawmakers time and our money on pursuing this bill in its present form. While the idea is great, the legislation sounds like it was made up by second graders. It will just wind up costing a state that is already strapped for cash money it doesn't have to even discuss this legislation.

If Mr. Burns really believes in this idea perhaps he could get some intelligent people who live in the real world to help him craft the legislation so it can actually be enforced without infringing on the rights that have already been granted to the citizens of the state.