Tavern League of Minnesota Update.

Redrant: Last I heard the average actual BAC in Minnesota DUI arrest is 0.16. Statistically very few fatalities and serious accident involve BAB between .08 and .10 Minnesota was the lat state to pass the .08 limit and this was due to the treat of cutoff of federal funding. Greg Lang

From: kennrock@hotmail.comSubject: TLM Update August 8 2008Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 – WEEK OF AUGUST 4, 2008
ALCOHOL

Law Enforcement Officers Warn that Intoxication Begins Below .08%
In New Mexico, home to some of the strictest drunk driving laws in the country, there is no such thing as responsible consumption prior to driving. Here, (and in many other states) drivers can be convicted of DUI at levels far below the legal limit of .08% blood alcohol content (BAC). (Albuquerque Journal, NM) The trend toward stricter and stricter laws targeting responsible social drinkers means that some states are close to imposing a de facto zero tolerance policy towards any drinking before driving – or a beer while bowling.

Illinois’ Prosecutors Doubt New First Offender Interlock Law Will Have Much Effect
Illinois’ low-BAC first offender interlock law, which takes effect January 1, 2009, probably won’t do much to curb drunk driving, according to county prosecutors. (Jacksonville Journal-Courier, IL) The law will do more to create a market for interlocks than to address the state’s highway safety issues. Prior to the law’s passage, interlocks were required only for repeat offenders, who cause the majority of alcohol-related highway deaths.
FOOD

NYC Menu Labeling Law Exposes Restaurants to Lawsuits over Calorie Miscounts
New York City’s new menu labeling law doesn’t specify a margin of error for restaurant calorie counts. Those counts can change dramatically for a standard menu item; slight variances in the amount of ingredients used in meals can significantly change calorie counts. And that difference could put food retailers in the crosshairs of trial lawyers, like those suing Applebee’s and Chili’s for inaccurate nutrition information on their healthy options menus. (Gotham Gazette, NY)


Santa Clara Menu Labeling Law Challenged in Court
Santa Clara County’s (Silicon Valley, CA) new menu labeling ordinance, scheduled to go into effect September 1st, is being challenged in federal court by the California Restaurant Association (CRA). (Mercury News, CA) According to the CRA complaint, the measure (which applies only to chain foodservice outlets in unincorporated areas of the county) should be preempted by existing state and federal laws.
GAMING

Ohio Group Gathers Enough Signatures to Place Casino Proposal on November Ballot
MyOhioNow, a group working to bring a new casino to Southwest Ohio, has submitted twice the number of signatures necessary to place the proposal on the ballot. (Dayton Daily News, OH) The bid would restrict casino gambling to the proposed 5,000-slot and 150-table site in Clinton County. The Secretary of State’s office must now verify all the signatures before the issue can reach voters.

Massachusetts Legislature Adjourns, Governor Still Indecisive on Casino Plan
Commending this year’s “productive” legislative session, Gov. Deval Patrick (D) remains vague on whether he will reintroduce a casino proposal next year. (Boston Globe, MA) Though Gov. Patrick’s plan was killed in the state legislature earlier this year, he has spoken of another attempt to bring casinos into the state. He commissioned a study, released today, showing that three new casinos in the state would bring in about $700 million in revenue from gamblers in the Bay Area . (Capital 9 News)
LABOR/WAGE

Committee Kills California Paid Sick Leave Bill
The California Senate Appropriations Committee has rejected Assemblywoman Fiona Ma’s (D-San Francisco) paid sick leave mandate because of the high proposed costs. Both the costs of enforcement and state compensation to in-home workers were too expensive, especially with the state currently in a $15.2 billion budget deficit. (Los Angeles Times, CA)


SMOKING

Iowa Bar Owners Unsuccessful in Lawsuit to Stop Smoking Ban
A county judge has denied a coalition of bar owners a temporary restraining order on the statewide smoking ban that went into effect on July 1st. The judge did note, however, that the group has a “reasonable chance of succeeding” on the claim that the ban is not equally enforced on all types of businesses. (Associated Press) The group plans to continue pursuing the lawsuit.
Kenn Rockler, Executive DirectorBowling Proprietors Association of MN & The Tavern League of Minnesota235 Roselawn Avenue East Suite #17Maplewood, MN 55117On the web http://www.bpam.org/ or http://www.tavernleaguemn.org/BPAM Phone: 651-487-2141 or 1-800-622-7769Tavern League of Minnesota 651-487-2149 or 1-877-332-9257 Cell phone: 612-205-0110