The likelihood that a new bill would suspend driver's licenses from adults caught furnishing alcohol to minors decreased Wednesday in a busy day at the State House in Augusta, the Orient has learned.
LD 903, "An Act to Strengthen the Penalties for Sales to Minors or Purchases by Minors of Alcoholic Beverages," made news around Maine in recent months for proposing to suspend operator's licenses for the criminal infraction. The bill, sponsored by Senator John Nutting (D-Leeds), had the backing of alcohol giant Diageo North America, makers of Guinness, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan's, and other beverages.
However, it was controversial because it would suspend operator's licenses for a non-driving related offense. Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap's office opposed the bill for that reason.
Commander Rick Desjardins of the Brunswick Police Department said, "I think you'll find the police departments would be against this bill." Desjardins emphasized that the police were in favor of a strong law for furnishing, but said, "I'm not convinced that they've made a strong argument that this is connected to operator's licenses."
Although most suspensions of operator's licenses stem from driving-related offenses, Maine does have a law which can suspend someone's license if they do not pay child support.
On Wednesday, the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, made up of both Senators and Representatives, had a work session on the bill. Under the original plan, fines for furnishing would have been replaced by the suspension of the operator's license for 30 days on the first offense, 90 days on the second offense, and a year on any subsequent offense.
The majority report from the committee, agreed upon by 12 of 13 members, will be presented to the legislature in several weeks, according to committee clerk Lisa Cote. It replaces the suspension of the license with increased fines?a minimum of $500 instead of $100 on the first offense, a $1,000 minimum on the second offense, and a $1,500 minimum on subsequent offenses.
However, Representative Kimberly J. Davis (R-Augusta) will also present a minority report to the legislature with the increased fines, but where the license could be suspended on third and subseqent offenses. Davis told the Orient that the majority report removed "the meat of the bill as I saw it."
Davis, a mother of seven children (one of whom attended Bowdoin), believes underage drinking is a big problem in Maine and considers the license suspension a more effective deterrant. "It's your freedom that you hate to lose," she said.
Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley said that few Bowdoin students had been arrested or cited for alcohol offenses in recent years. The College has an internal system for dealing with alcohol offense, but if students are caught by the police they are doubly accountable.
In other news at the State House, the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee is considering LD 1194, "An Act to Create an Academic Bill of Rights." Pressed for by College Republicans across the state, the bill would seek to give students at Maine public colleges "a right to expect...a learning environment in which the student has access to a broad range of serious scholarly opinion" and to not be discriminated against on the basis of their political beliefs. As a private institution, however, Bowdoin would not be affected.