By LeeAnn Partin,
Hays High School
When exploring the process of how bills are passed in the State of Texas, the Legislative sector finds themselves meeting once again to question and amend acts presented with the hopes to pass to the full chamber of House and Senate. This sector joins together in Committee B, at the 76th State Conference during the weekend of March 2-5, to focus on Bill #HB103.
Bill #HB103 is explained to be an act to make consumption of alcoholic beverages as a minor with parental consent illegal, written by delegate Theodore Nguyen, of Glenda Dawson High School. Delegate Nguyen presents his bill to the legislative body, aiming for favorable recommendation and for amendments that will improve the bill to its best version. Nguyen’s bill details three provisions: 1) Raising the alcohol tax from 8.25% to 10%, with the purpose of funding this bill, while simultaneously turning away people from alcohol with the price rise; 2) Allocate $200 million to the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) to spread awareness; 3) Exclude the consumption of alcohol for religious purposes. Delegate Nguyen’s bill passed with favorable recommendation and is amended once to clarify the definitions listed in his bill.
At the end of this bill’s assessment, delegate Sophie Zhou brought an amendment to the table, focusing on the tiny details of delegate Nguyen’s bill. Bill #HB103 lists definitions to words relevant to the subject matter, specifically: Alcoholic Beverages; Minor; and Consent.
“To protect our children and the future people in our society, I move to specify and clarify the definitions and provisions for this bill,” Zhou said. Delegate Zhou pushed to change the age of full legal responsibility, listed as 18 years old in the bill, to 21 years old as the new age. Delegate Zhou chose to center on these definitions for clarity, eliminating vagueness and assumptions that could be made.
Continuing to the proponent and opponent speeches, delegate Emory Miramontes Eldredge, from Boswell High School, rose as an opponent to Nguyen’s bill and spoke about why she gaves an unfavorable recommendation. “Most parents would not allow their kids to drink, but they have still had these experiences” Eldredge argued. “I would say that allowing your kid to experience the negative effects of alcohol at a young age and understanding hangover and sickness, allows your kid to understand what’s going on.”
In the designated Question And Answer time slot, delegates brought up important questions to address the policies/actions going to be taken when putting this bill into place.
Delegate Avery Mason, Boswell High School, questioned the jurisdiction of delegate Nguyen’s bill. “Alcohol consumption is a federal issue. This law won’t change anything because this is a federal problem, not a state problem that we can change.” Mason said, questioning Nguyen’s plan of action.
Nguyen explained in response to this that alcohol consumption is under the jurisdiction of both federal and state law, so taking action won’t be an issue. Nguyen described that this bill will focus on public places like restaurants, so staff can implement restrictions of adults consenting to minor consumption.
The legislative body discussed back and forth how delegate Nguyen’s bill will be set into action, either private or public, but concluded with the bill’s planned restrictions for public spaces.
The yea’s are loud in unison for Delegate Nguyen’s bill, not before delegate Grayson Carlson requested a division, initiating a roll call vote to clarify how many delegates are for either side. Delegate Nguyen’s bill went through for favorable recommendation with 8 yea’s and 3 nay’s.
Delegate Eldredge gives her speech against delegate Nguyen’s bill, connecting with the legislative body through her own experiences.