NEW ORLEANS — A state legislator has proposed a bill that would prohibit anyone under 21 years old from going into a bar in Louisiana.
The “Card ‘Em Act,” officially named Senate Bill 194, would also increase fines for bars caught serving alcohol to underage customers and other increased penalties, according to our partners at The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate.
Republican Senator Beth Mizell, from Franklinton, introduced the bill with hopes to curb underage drinking and possibly prevent deaths. She specifically cited the death of LSU student Madison Brooks, who was allegedly raped before being fatally struck by a car after a night of drinking in January.
“The law says you have to be 21 to drink and it’s pretty obvious that we have a lot of underage drinkers that are being served illegally, but also overserved," Sen. Mizell said. "When you look at Madison’s story, there are so many ways things happened that shouldn’t have happened."
The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office says Brooks asked two men and a 17-year-old to drive her home after a night at Reggie’s, a bar near LSU’s campus. The teen and one of the men then allegedly raped her in their vehicle before she was eventually hit and killed by a car.
Brooks’ mother and founder of the Madison Brooks Foundation, Ashley Baustert, said at an event Wednesday night that she supports the “Card ‘Em Act.”
“If Madi wasn't there, then none of this would have happened in the first place," she said. "So, I’m 100 percent in support of it.” Other speakers at the event at LSU’s student union also voiced their support for the proposed bill.
Since Brooks’ death, LSU President William F. Tate IV has vowed to crack down on underage drinking, but NOLA.com reports he received backlash from students who believe the focus should be more on sexual assault against students than underage drinking. Some people also are concerned students will be more inclined to drink at house parties where regulations can easily be ignored.
The parish alcohol control office has raised fines for bars that violate city ordinances. Sen. Mizell wants the rest of the state to follow.
The “Card ‘Em Act” could penalize businesses with a fine of up to $15,000, according to our partners at The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate. It would also increase the amount of time it takes for an incident to come off a bar’s record to 10 years after the first offense.
In addition to customers, bartenders under the age of 21 would also be banned from working at a bar if the bill goes into effect. The bill does not apply to craft breweries and other public locations that serve alcohol.
Some bar owners are concerned this bill could hurt businesses. However, Sen. Mizell says that should not be a concern because local bars are “not supposed to be profiting from underage drinkers" anyway.
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control suspended the bar’s liquor license, and they are reportedly scheduled to appear at a hearing on Monday. Reggie’s is facing a fine, further suspension, or could permanently lose its license.
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