Legistlative and Local Policy Action
These are local action items we are supporting. Items marked with an (x) are approved by the Grant County Board of Health
- Smoke Free Workplaces
- Keg registration
- Increase alcohol tax (x)
- Sobriety check points(x)
- Mandatory interlock car devices(x)
- Mandatory suspension of teen licenses(x)
- Contact your local legislator today
Platteville is where current work is being done. The idea is to have all workplaces smoke free to protect employees and customers from the dangers of 2nd hand smoke as well as 1st hand smoke. This would apply to all businesses. The City Council has been presented a model ordinance to use and in April they will make a vote. Contact your council members today and let them know how you feel. Also, if you would like to get involved in other Grant County communities or the state level smoking ban, please contact us.
All beer kegs would have a tag attached to the keg which would be a number. This number would relate back to the person who purchased the keg. The purpose of keg registration is to deter people from supplying underage drinkers with alcohol. The idea is that when a party would be busted by police, they could confiscate the keg, and trace the keg by the tag on it to the purchaser. The reason for doing this is to keep youth safe because typically kegs are used at large parties where drunk driving occurs afterwards and a high amount of alcohol is consumed because kegs are cheap. This is a win win situation for retailers because they are more likely to get their kegs back and the liability is taken off of them. The purchaser of the keg would sign an agreement saying they agree not to provide to a minors and understand the ramifications. WI is one of the few states left to enact this law.
Read about the proposal to Increase the alcohol tax.
We would like to introduce this concept to law makers: Sobriety checkpoints or roadblocks that involve law enforcement officials stopping every vehicle (or more typically, every nth vehicle) on a public roadway and investigating the possibility that the driver might be too impaired to drive. They are often set up late at night or in the very early morning hours and on weekends, at which time the proportion of impaired drivers tends to be the highest.
With a portable and quick alcohol breath test, the police can test all drivers, and process the cars one by one as in a conveyor belt. When there is no quick test, a more complicated routine is necessary. Upon suspicion, the stopped driver is required to exit the vehicle and take a roadside sobriety test that requires the demonstration of both mental and balance skills. If the officer determines that the test has not been passed, the driver is then required to take an alcohol breath test.
This is another concept we would like to introduce to law makers: The concept is that this law would require anyone convicted of DUI / DWI will be required to use an ignition interlock device. The device prevents the vehicle from starting if the driver doesn’t supply a breath sample with an acceptable alcohol level. For Illinois drivers, that level will be .05 percent BAC. Many accused DUI / DWI drivers aren’t aware that ignition interlock devices can be useful tools when fighting a drunk driving charge. Using an ignition interlock device voluntarily after a DUI / DWI arrest demonstrates to the court that you’re serious about preventing any future incidents of drinking and driving.
This is a concept we would like to introduce to law makers: This law would make it a mandatory sentence of removal of teen licenses for teens who have been charged with driving while under the influence.
http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/government.html
If they do not hear from the people, they won't know what is important to us. Call, email or write them today! We have sample letters, just contact us!