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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 2001)
<%, February n| IWednesday, February 14,2001 STATE Page 5 THE BATTALION igak MADD begins new crusade in Austin .Group lobbies for stricter laws, open container ban in vehicles, alcohol tests 1 make soma; J before, f isic helps se:j r or even die J has a Valenti ons rangin»i adonnatofJ does not tol s. Again, il r different, t s a lot ofprt'l x'ial. a junior Ec;| inks Valenti riant for ail AUSTIN (AP) — Fresh from last session’s vic tories, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reignited its legislative crusade Tuesday to tight al- Jcohol-related crashes in Texas. 1 Members spent the day at the Capitol, lobbying lawmakers to ban open containers in vehicles, make it easier to revoke drivers licenses and require alcohol tests for all drivers in serious crashes. “It seems like this time we sort of got some mo mentum from last session,” said Bill Lewis, MADD's public policy liaison. The group’s chief victory last session came when lawmakers agreed to lower the blood alcohol concentration level from .10 to .08. “None of these bills increase the punishment for drunk driving,” Lewis said. “What we're really in terested in is stopping crashes before they happen." Roughly 100 MADD members from El Paso to East Texas scurried from office to office talking up their proposals to lawmakers. Some members said they got the feeling drunk en driving will not be the legislative priority it was last session. The spotlight is being occupied by such issues as tight budget concerns, children’s Medicaid, clogged highways and prison salaries. But drunken driving should be a priority until it is no longer a problem in Texas,” said Karroll Searcy, a MADD member from Irving. “So many people are still dying on the roads in Texas,” she said. “It’s still a major issue. As long as our numbers are leading the nation, then that’s way too many.” In 1999, Texas had 1,734 alcohol-related traf- « None of these bills increase the punishment for drunk driving. What we're really interested in is stopping crashes before they happen” — Bill Lewis MADD's public policy liaison fic fatalities, compared to California’s 1,351, ac cording to statistics provided by MADD. At the top of MADD’s agenda are the open con tainer bills sponsored by iSen. Jane Nelson, R- Flower Mound. i Nelson’s bills would make open containers il legal anywhere inside vehicles on public roads. Under current law nicknamed the “Adam’s Apple Law” by officers, a driver cannot be charged with an open container offense unless he or she is seen consuming its contents. “It’s ludicrous,” Lewis said. “It’s just a shame that trees had to give their lives so that a law as stu pid as the one we have now could be printed.” * 1 Nelson’s repeat offender legislation calls for an automatic, one-year drivers license suspension on the second drunken driving conviction. A bill by Rep. Steve Wolens, D-Dallas, increas es drivers license suspension periods for drivers who failed or refused to take a breath test. It also allows police officers to take away licenses imme diately from drivers arrested for DWI. Officers usu ally give licenses back to drivers, who may or may not choose to relinquish the license at a formal hear ing within 40 days of the arrest, Lewis said. As long as the drunken driver has a plastic li cense in hand, “the suspension only occurs in a DPS computer,” Lewis said. A bill by Rep. Terry Keel, R-Austin, would re quire all drivers involved in crashes causing death or serious bodily injury to take tests to check their blood-alcohol levels. Texas law requires tests only in crashes resulting in death. nore [impo; o be with ic,” Ellis si big a thin: •eal meaniii;| > been lost. ^ holidays it lungs." she 4 i ne's Day ski ng money. > spend tiffil your lovefoi one anothei is a core . to be shy a: | i one shou! 'ought wha lea is to vorl Valewine'sD! M Two killed in airplane accident PAMPA (AP) — A ‘married couple were killed early Tuesday when their plane crashed near the Perry LeFors Airport in the Texas Panhandle. The wreckage of the single-en gine 1971 Bellanca was found less than one mile east of the runway shortly after 1 a.m., The Pampa News reported. The victims were identified as Pampa residents Don Harrison, 56, and his wife, Terry, 51. Pampa is about four miles from the airport. “As the aircraft was attempt ing to land at the airport in heavy fog, the pilot apparently lost his bearings and crashed into a mud dy plowed field,” said Depart ment of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger. “Apparently, he was unable to attain visible sighting of the airport.” Gray County Sheriff’s Depart ment Chief Deputy David Russell said his department was called af ter an emergency signal from the plane was detected. Airport manager Ron Uhruh said he watched the couple leave Monday. The couple is believed to have traveled to Albuquerque so Don Harrison could visit the Veterans Affairs hospital there. Houston mayor postpones same-sex benefits proposal HOUSTON (AP) — Mayor Lee Brown has put a pro posal to offer benefits to same-sex partners of Houston city workers on the back burner in favor of drafting an or dinance to ban discrimination of gays and lesbians. City Councilwoman Annise Parker said the ordinance would first guarantee that workers cannot lose their jobs because of their sexual orientation. The council had been scheduled to consider the benefits proposal on Wednesday but withdrew it on Monday. “We still live in an era when gays and lesbians in most states can be fired just for being gay,” Parker said in the Houston Chronicle on Tuesday. “This is a proper precursor to ex tending insurance coverage to domes tic partners so that city employees will be protected against discrimination when they access insurance cover age,” Parker said. Brown said in a statement that the or- 6C We still live in an era when gays and lesbians in most states can be fired just for being gay. ” — Annise Parker Houston city councilwoman dinance will assure gay and lesbian city employees that their jobs will not be in jeopardy if they seek benefits for same-sex partners in the future. In 1985, City Council approved an anti-discrimina tion measure for gay and lesbian employees, but it was later overturned by voters. City voters can force a ref erendum on an ordinance with 20,000 valid signatures on a petition. Brown issued an order banning discrimination against gays and lesbians shortly after he took office in 1998. Councilman Rob Todd filed a lawsuit claiming that the mayor could not issue an order contradicting the elec tion results, and another election must be held to adopt such a policy. May Graduates The Official Texas A&M Graduation Announcements Order via the web! http://graduation.tamu.edu AH orders and payments must be received by March 2,2001! MSC Box Office M-Fl lam-8pm 979-845-1234 1-888-890-5667 vj| V PizzaworksJ 209 A University 268-DAVE 3505 A Longmire 696-DAVE Dozen Peproni Rolls'" $ 9.99 Expires 05/31/01 I — -. — ---.-. — — — ___J 919 Harvey Rd. 764-DAVE 2002 E. 29th St. 822-DAVE PREV choose ,IFE izMonday, Hctxuaxy J 2 Shakespeare in the Dark performed by thl 7F Lodge 8:30 p.m. MSC 201 ’Uunui/aij, f$ Titus (with MSC Film Society) Introduction by Dr. Douglas Brooks 7:00 pvin. MSC Forsyth Center Galleries Wtdnttdaif, ^14 Early Music 6:00 p.m. MSC Forsyth Center Gafieries Shakespeare in Love (with MSC Film Society) Introduction by Dr. Douglas Brooks 7:00 p.m. MSC Forsyth Center Galleries J-Uttaty Cammitktc ftxticnl*.., tfii K Jouxtli cdlnnuat ’'Juklvat Livin' La Vida Shakespeare February 12-17 Alt ARE FREE! Sponsored (a part by: Brazos Arts Council Cushing Library MSC Forsyth Center Galleries Norton Publishing TAMU English Department For more information on any of these events, call 84S-9251 # & pwmxs wttb c&NfcS&fe* <#Ii SIS u>. ts&m* otjfenxe fcsAifyshtic-tt Xhrw £3$ 4a#* jssi.-:# jrsrc t* d« tatt mr tuatj / 5 Cushing Library Tour 2:00 p.m. Cushing Library Lobby Sonnet Lecture and Open MIc with Dr. Douglas Brooks 7:00 p.m. MSC Forsyth Center Galleries HtUxuaxy 16 Lecture with Gordon McMuiian Kings College, London 4:00 p.m. Cushing Library JSokuxdaif, Htl?\uaxy I 7 Good "Wiir Hunting and Shakespeare Pastiche performed by the Aggie Players 7:00 p.m. * Blocker 144 Fallout Theatre Embarrassed by Unwanted Hair? Tired of your Zits? We have the solution! Medical grade microdermabrasion Painless, permanent hair removal exclusively at ‘Physician’s ‘Derma Care Michael E. Jones, M.D. 6804533 Bring this coupon and receive 10% off your package of five treatments. t i i i i < f < t A The Texas Supreme Court is set to rule in October on Todd’s lawsuit. “I’m not opposed to the idea of nondiscrimination policies, but I am certainly opposed to City Hall run ning over something that the voters have already done,” Todd said. Some council members, including Councilman Mark Ellis, have said they are concerned that offering same-sex benefits would result in fraud and high cost. Seven of the nation’s 10 largest cities offer same-sex benefits. The remain ing three are Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. Linda Seyda, director of human re sources for the city of Philadelphia, told the Chronicle that Philadelphia has had no problems with cost or fraud since first offering same-sex benefits in 1998. “Since we’ve instituted, it’s been so quiet that I haven’t opened this file,” she said. Thirty-three of Philadelphia’s 25,000 employees use same-sex benefits, Seyda said. Philadelphia officials — like those in Houston — thought about 100 employees would seek benefits for same-sex partners at an annual cost of $200,000. She also said Philadelphia requires employees to prove financial interdependence and register as same-sex partners when seeking the benefits. So far, no cases of fraud have turned up, Seyda said. Mike Barbour, who has studied domestic-partner benefits for Towers Perrin, an international consulting firm based in New York, said entities see low usage of same-sex benefits because most domestic partners have coverage elsewhere. Entry Level Opportunities Universal Computer Systems, Inc. is a stable, progressive, corporation head quartered in Houston since 1970, with over 1800 employees nationwide. We specialize in the development, sales and service of the most innovative IT solution for the business of auto dealerships. Current openings in our Houston, Austin or College Station offices include: ♦ Software Training ♦ Sales ♦ Programming ♦ Recruiting ♦ Client Support ♦ Business Analyst ♦ Technical Writing We offer a challenging and professional environment, competitive salary and benefits package including paid medical, dental and vision insurance, 401k matching, discounted Health club membership, semi-annual perform ance based reviews and great training! Bachelor’s degree required. For more information, please stop by our booth and visit with our representa tives. Come join a winning team! Spring Business Career Fair February 20 21 9:00am - 4:00pm Wehner Building If you are unable to attend but would still like to apply, please call or visit our website. Universal Computer Systems, Inc. Attn ad # 1198 595-2609 595-2613 - fax www.universalcomputersys.com UCS hires non-tobacco users only Green LIVE - Up Front at ml. 313 S. COLLEGE 846-3343 j with special guest G00DER GRAW *15 THURSDAY Febiuaiy IB, 2001 Tickets in advance suggested call for info 846-1724 Listen to KORA for Backstage Passes and C.D. Giveaways DICKSON PRODUCTIONS GHovL Come see what all the excitement is about!! Become an Orientation Leader for the Class of 2005 today!! Applications now available! Stop by YMCA room 314 for more information, or visit our website at http://www.aolp.tamu.edu. cSchool Mfcnking the Spi