10
University Daily Kansan
Nation/World
Thursday, Feb. 20, 1986
Bills in House would alter liquor penalties
By Mark Siebert
Staff writer
Two bills that would change the penalties for alcohol-related offenses were discussed yesterday in the Kansas House Committee on Federal and State Affairs.
State Rep, Robert Miller, R-Wellington, the committee chairman, said no opposition was voiced on either issue and the committee probably would vote in favor of the bills Tuesday or Wednesday.
One bill would require consideration of alcohol-related convictions in other states during prosecution of first offenses in Kansas.
The other bill, a proposed change in the open-container law, would raise the fine for convictions to encourage violators to participate in an optional alcohol and drug safety program.
Offenders who refused to participate in the safety program would pay a fine between $100 and $500.
Under the proposed open-container law, first-time offenders would be put on probation and required to enroll in an alcohol and drug safety program that costs up to $100.
The bill also says plea-bargaining agreements cannot be approved by a judge.
At present, no education program
is required. People convicted of transporting an open container are fined up to $200, imprisoned for up to six months or both.
Gene Johnson, project coordinator of the Kansas Community Alcohol Safety Project, said the bill would help educate people and keep them from facing more serious convictions later on.
Arrests for open containers are being made, Johnson said, but sometimes the offender is not convicted because the court allows plea-bargaining agreements.
The other bill discussed by the committee would not allow diversion agreements for anyone convicted of an alcohol-related offense in another state within the last five years.
The law now does not take into account convictions made in other states when penalizing alcohol-related offenses.
At present, first-time offenders convicted of an alcohol-related offense can enter into a diversion agreement.
The agreement says offenders can be fined, sent to an alcohol education program and have license restrictions imposed. However, they cannot be jailed and the conviction does not go on their records if they do not get another conviction within five years.
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