Bill in Senate could protect partygoers

It’s a common situation on college campuses — a student passes out after drinking too much alcohol. The student’s friends have a decision to make: help the friend and risk receiving a minor in possession, or deal with the situation on their own.

A state Senate bill initiated by ASMSU aims to make the decision much easier.

A bill introduced by Sen. Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor, last week would amend the Liquor Control Act. The current act mandates that any person under the age of 21 who is under the influence of alcohol be issued an MIP.

The proposed amendment would give communities the choice of letting law enforcement issue citations in medical emergencies.

“I’ve been aware of incidents from U-M and MSU and other campuses where students have been with friends who have needed medical attention because of intoxication,” Brater said. “They were afraid of seeking help because fear of prosecution under minor-in-possession laws, so I’m trying to create a safe harbor for people that are acting as a good samaritan in seeking medical assistance for themselves or others.”

The state Senate bill was preceded by a bill ASMSU passed in October to research and develop a “good samaritan” ordinance for MSU and the city of East Lansing.

ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

Kyle Dysarz, Student Assembly vice chairperson for external affairs, came up with the idea after hearing about a similar type of amnesty at Ohio State University.

“I had went to a conference last summer at Penn State University, and among conversations about health and safety on campuses it came up that Ohio State University has this type of amnesty at the judicial level,” he said.

“I came back and realized, after talking with some people, that we didn’t have anything at the judicial level as well as the legal level. This (senate bill) is the legal aspect of it”

Ohio State University Deputy Chief of police Richard Morman said Ohio doesn’t have a state law regarding underage drinking and medical emergencies. Instead, there is an agreement between the police and the university not to issue citations in medical emergencies.

Morman said the agreement has been effective in the sense that police have received more emergency calls from students.

ASMSU went to Brater with the idea because she had introduced a similar bill to the state Senate in 2004, ASMSU Director of Governmental Affairs Marvin Yates said.

Yates said initially, ASMSU considered asking Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, to consider taking up the issue.

“He does represent the district, but at the same time it was easier with Liz Brater, being somebody who has history with this piece of legislation,” Yates said.

After the bill was introduced on the floor of the state Senate, it was sent to the senate judiciary committee. There is no timetable for a decision, Brater said.

The fact that an ASMSU initiative has made it to the state level has been a point of pride for ASMSU, Dysarz said.

“We’re the students’ voice, and to see that it actually made it all the way to a senator, it’s says something pretty strongly in favor of your student governments and the power that students can have,” he said.