SACRAMENTO – California lawmakers rejected a proposal by Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) to authorize roadside drug “breathalyzer” tests.
Assembly Bill 1356 failed to pass the Assembly Public Safety Committee Tuesday.
According to Lackey, a broad coalition of roadway safety organizations and law enforcement supported AB 1356, which would have put California on the cutting edge of fighting drugged driving. However, the bill was reportedly opposed by defense attorneys and the Drug Policy Alliance.
“Officers have numerous tools to deal with drunk drivers but lack the equivalent for drugs,” Lackey stated in a news release. “I hope California will have the courage to act in the future, but today was clearly a setback for roadway safety.”
“I am disappointed that California will not be moving forward with a common sense tool to help keep high drivers off the roads,” Candace Lightner, President of We Save Lives, Founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and co-sponsor of AB 1356 stated in a news release. “Failing to pass Assembly Bill 1356 takes California in the wrong direction for keeping its roads safe and preventing victims of deadly crashes.”
AB 1356 would have authorized the use of a roadside drug breathalyzer after a driver had been pulled over with probable cause and after failing a traditional field sobriety test.
To get a conviction, prosecutors would still need to prove the driver was impaired by drugs using a variety of evidence ranging from the officer’s account of what happened to blood tests given when in police custody.
Lackey said AB 1356 would be reconsidered for passage in January 2016.
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Tim Scott says
Certainly need to give law enforcement more tools, given the terrific job they are doing with the tools they have…oh…wait…
Maybe we should be limiting them, not empowering them even further.
ANON says
This is another punk-azz excuse to to criminalize everything. I’m sure the ignition Interlock and breathalyzer companies are simply wetting themselves at the prospect of DUI’s for everybody, for everything, all the time. The boundaries for what is considered intoxicated driving have already been stretched to absurd levels in order to get convictions. Soon, DUI convictions will be for the guy who smoked a doobie at the Journey concert 3 days ago or for the person who took a Vicodin yesterday after their root-canal. Where does it end? People are already getting Green DUI’s although they are perfectly capable of driving. Has anybody even done a study on driving after smoking pot? I believe a study was done and the stoned drivers drove exactly the same as anybody else but we don’t want to talk about that.
Justsayyestodrugs says
Anybody want to guess if Tom Lackey has an investment in these machines? Tom Lackey and the rest of the Minority Report worshipping wierdos need to STFU and move to Russia where they would be more comfortable.
William says
Oh, don’t worry. Lackey can run next year on a bill that didn’t pass. What else will he be able to run on as an accomplishment?
Wasn’t Lackey going to clean up Sacramento and make it rain or something?
Look at Parris. He’ll run on his failed schemes, I suppose.
David says
The writer is 100% correct…Lackey is an idiot
Carly says
Russia? The country where bottles of liquor are not resealable so to encourage the citizens to drink until wasted off their butts thereby forgetting just what horrible lives they are living? That Russia?
Carly says
But don’t get me wrong, I don’t know what Lackey was thinking. But I don’t know what that guy up there with the Russia comment was thinking either.
Greg says
‘Put a cork in it’ that solves the bottle issue. May also solve some verbale issues from time to time. (Not pointed at you Carly, just seemed a good spot to put the comment)
moll flanders says
With all the excessive prescribing of powerful mind-altering meds, and all the people that drive under the influence; well, those breathalyzers would take only the less fortunate drivers off the road, while the power elite would get a pass. The all detecting breathalyzer, and Pandora’s Box.
Mark says
Stoned drivers just miss their off ramp
Just Saying says
Perhaps we should actually invent such a device first. Then subject it to a year of clinical trials to be sure the drug it detects is causing impairment rather then lingering from that surgery two weeks ago.
Physical roadside tests can easily get impairment convictions. Even if a suspect has used drugs, if they demonstrate the ability to pass the roadside test, maybe they’re not impaired.
Mike says
Too bad this didn’t pass. Governments job is to protect its citizens. Morons who drive around high are a danger to the public. This would have been a better use of tax payer dollars than another free hand out program for bums who are too lazy to work.
Johnny Trece says
Thank you very much! Tax dollars saved!!!!!
moll flanders says
So many of those white collar workers driving under the influence of prescription meds would start getting a little nervous.
Eric says
Haha, cute. They don’t care about pharmaceuticals. Big Pharma is one of the industries that lines these peoples’ pockets.
They’re talking about their fancy, new breathalyzers that are far from being anywhere close to accurate as the alcohol breathalyzers. More Statist pleasure from being allowed to force more items into law-abiding citizens’ mouths.