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IWednesday, February 14,2001
STATE
Page 5
THE BATTALION
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MADD begins new crusade in Austin
.Group lobbies for stricter laws, open container ban in vehicles, alcohol tests
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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.
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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.
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Shakespeare in the Dark
performed by thl 7F Lodge
8:30 p.m.
MSC 201
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Current openings in our Houston, Austin or College Station offices include:
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We offer a challenging and professional environment, competitive salary
and benefits package including paid medical, dental and vision insurance,
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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
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313 S. COLLEGE
846-3343 j
with special guest
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*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
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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
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