S-1380 Amends Idaho's "no open container" law to allow an open container in the back seat or the trunk.
Senate vote
03/09    3rd rdg as amen - PASSED - 20-13-2
      AYES--Andreason, Bunderson, Burtenshaw, Darrington, Davis, Deide,
      Dunklin, Frasure, Geddes, Ingram, Ipsen, Lee, Noh, Parry, Richardson,
      Risch, Sandy, Thorne, Walton/Branch, Williams (voted for it because of the $8 million)

      NAYS--Boatright, Cameron, Crow, Danielson, Hawkins, Keough, Riggs,
      Schroeder, Sorensen, Stegner, Stennett, Wheeler, Whitworth
      Absent and excused--King-Barrutia, McLaughlin (good guys)
    Floor Sponsor - Richardson
    Title apvd - to House
HOUSE VOTE

04/03
The question being, "Shall S 1380, as amended, pass?"

Roll call resulted as follows:

AYES -- Barraclough(Barraclough), Barrett, Bell, Black, Boe, Bruneel, Chase, Cheirrett, Cuddy,
Deal, Ellsworth, Field(13), Field(20), Gagner, Geddes, Hadley, Hammond, Hansen(23),
Hansen(29), Henbest, Jaquet, Jones, Judd, Kempton, Kunz, Lake, Mader, Marley, Montgomery,
Moss, Moyle, Pomeroy, Reynolds, Ringo, Robison, Sali, Sellman, Shepherd, Smith, Smylie,
Stevenson, Stoicheff, Trail, Zimmermann. Total -- 44. (voted for it because of the $8 million, or infraction for passengers)

NAYS -- Alltus, Bieter, Campbell, Crow, Denney, Gould, Hornbeck, Kellogg, Kendell,
Loertscher(Loertscher), McKague, Meyer (good guys)

THIS IS NOW IN THE HOUSE JUDICIARY AND RULES COMMITTEE

03/10    House intro - 1st rdg as amen - to Jud
Money is the reason we are now amending this law
  States that do not have the provisions set forth in this legislation, by October 1,
     2000, will be subject to the transfer of highway construction funds to the Section
     402 highway safety or state Hazard Elimination programs, beginning in FFY
     2001. The approximate amounts transferred in Idaho would be as follows:
 
     FFY 2001 - $2,016,750
     FFY 2002 - $2,053,830
     FFY 2003 - $4,211,190  (based on FHWA apportionment tables of 6/4/98)
     TOTAL -    $8,281,770*

 OLD LAW
    CHAPTER 5
                           PERMITS AND LICENSES
 23-505.  TRANSPORTATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. Alcoholic liquor lawfully
purchased may be transported, but no person shall break open, or allow to
be broken or opened any container of alcoholic liquor, or drink, or use, or
allow to be drunk, or used any alcoholic liquor therein while the same is
being transported.       (this paragraph is missing a penalty for non-compliance)

 No person in actual physical control of a motor vehicle, as "actual
physical control" is defined in section 18-8004, Idaho Code, may drink or
physically possess any open beverage containing alcoholic liquor, as
defined in section 23-105, Idaho Code, beer as defined in section 23-1001,
Idaho Code, or wine as defined in section 23-1303, Idaho Code.  Violation
of this section is a misdemeanor.    (this penalty has been interpreted to apply to drivers only)

The real fix is to change the word "section" to "act," making the penalty include both passangers and drivers, and all people in all vehicles.  Or to adopt the #2 paragraph as amended, and drop the "Mel Richardson amendment" from the first paragraph.  The reasoning given to the MADD group for the "Mel Richardson amendment" is 'to allow caterers to carry open bottles home after they have catered an event.  Caterers don't use party leftover booze for the next party, because of the contamination issue.  Clients like to have new bottles for their parties.  "What gets open, you pay for."

Note... the "Mel Richardson amendment" is directly contradictory to the first part of the bill that states..."no person shall break open, or allow to
be broken or opened any container of alcoholic liquor, or drink, or use, or
allow to be drunk, or used any alcoholic liquor therein while the same is
being transported."  The sole purpose of the "Mel Richardson amendment" must be to avoid having the Highway funds transfered, because it makes no sence in the context of the first part of the bill. 
 

New Bill Text
 

 S1380
 
 
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-fifth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2000
 
 
                                       IN THE SENATE
 
                              SENATE BILL NO. 1380, As Amended
 
                              BY JUDICIARY AND RULES COMMITTEE
 
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES;  AMENDING  SECTION  23-505,
  3        IDAHO  CODE, TO PROHIBIT ANY PERSON IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC HIGHWAY
  4        OR THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF A PUBLIC HIGHWAY FROM DRINKING ALCOHOLIC  BEVERAGES
  5        OR  HAVING  POSSESSION OF OPEN BEVERAGES CONTAINING ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR, BEER
  6        OR WINE, TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES; AND PROVIDING  AN
  7        EFFECTIVE DATE.
 
  8    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
 
  9        SECTION  1.  That  Section  23-505, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 10    amended to read as follows:
 
THE NEW BILL IS IN RED, AND THE BLUE IS WHAT WAS OMITTED. THE UNDERLINED RED IS WHAT WAS ADDED.

 11        23-505.  TRANSPORTATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. (1)
         Alcoholic liquor
 12    lawfully purchased may be transported, but no person shall break open,  or  allow
 13    to be broken or opened any container of alcoholic liquor, or drink, or use, or
 14    allow  to  be  drunk,  or  used any alcoholic liquor therein while the same is
 15    being transported. Provided however, that an unsealed alcoholic beverage  con-
 16    tainer  may be transported in an enclosed trunk compartment or behind the last
 17    upright seat of a vehicle which has no trunk compartment.  (Mel Richardson amendment)

 18        (2) No person in actual physical control of (gone)  a motor  vehicle as  "actual
 19    physical control" is defined in section 18-8004, Idaho Code, (gone)  while the vehicle
 20    is  on  a  public highway or the right-of-way of a public highway may drink or
 21    physically(gone) possess any open beverage containing alcoholic liquor,  as  defined
 22    in section 23-105, Idaho Code, beer as defined in section 23-1001, Idaho Code,
 23    or  wine  as  defined  in section 23-1303, Idaho Code, unless such person is a
 24    passenger in the passenger area of a motor vehicle  designed,  maintained,  or
 25    used  primarily  for the transportation of persons for compensation, or in the
 26    living quarters of a recreational vehicle as that term is defined  in  section
 27    49-119,  Idaho  Code. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor for the indi-
 28    vidual in actual physical control  of  the  vehicle,  as  defined  in  section
 29    18-8004,  Idaho  Code,  and an infraction for other individuals violating this
 30    section.
 
 31        SECTION 2.  This act shall be in full force and effect on and  after  July
 32    1, 2000.

Mel Richardson Amendment
 

 AS1380
 
 
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-fifth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2000

                                              The Mel Richardson Amendment
                                                    Moved by    Richardson
                                                     Seconded by Ingram
 
 
                                       IN THE SENATE
                             SENATE AMENDMENT TO S.B. NO. 1380
 
  1                                AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1
  2        On page 1 of the  printed  bill,  in  line  15,  following  "transported."
  3    insert:  "Provided  however, that an unsealed alcoholic beverage container may
  4    be transported in an enclosed trunk compartment or  behind  the  last  upright
  5    seat of a vehicle which has no trunk compartment.".

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact
 

                STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                      RS09381C1
 
     This legislation would amend Section 23-505, Idaho Code, to bring Idaho's "Open
     Container" law into compliance with federal code. Federal law prohibits the
     possession of any open alcoholic beverage container, or the consumption of
     alcohol, in the passenger area of any motor vehicle on a public highway or right of
     way of any public highway, by either the driver or passengers of the vehicle.
     This prohibition does not include passengers in the passenger area of a motor
     vehicle used for transportation of persons for compensation, or passengers in the
     living quarters of a recreational vehicle as that term is defined in Section 49-119,
     Idaho Code. Idaho's current law refers to drivers only, not passengers.
    (this statement ignores the first paragraph of our current bill)
 
    Violation of this section is a misdemeanor for the individual in actual physical control of the        vehicle, and an infraction for other individuals violating this section. (This provison for penalty has nothing to do with the "Mel Richardson amendment")
 
 
                    FISCAL IMPACT
 
 
 
     CONTACT
     Name:      Jo Ann Moore, Highway Safety Manager
     Agency:    Idaho Transportation Department
      Phone:     334-8101
 
     STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL IMPACT                                 S 1380

Judiciary, Rules & Administration
  Courts, prisons, attorneys,
  juvenile justice

  Odd days, afternoons, Room 404
  332-1127
                                 Celia Gould, Chair
                                 Debbie Field, Vice Chair
                                 Bill Sali
                                 Jim Clark
                                 Julie Ellsworth
                                 Randy Hansen
                                 Bev Montgomery
                                 Sher Sellman
                                 Leon Smith
                                 Todd Hammond
                                 Monty Pearce
                                 Tom Moss
                                                        June Judd
                                                        Wendy Jaquet
                                                        Donna Boe