‘Unfair to Businesses’: Republican Senator Pauses Tennessee’s Proposed Cold Beer Ban After Chilly Reception
The Tennessee Prevention of Drunk Driving Act is striking the “cold beer ban” portion of the bill after its initial negative reception. (Photo: Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)
The local news outlet Nashville WSMV reported on Friday that Tennessee’s proposed cold beer ban, a controversial portion of the Tennessee Prevention of Drunk Driving Act, has been driven to a screeching halt over concerns it might be “unfair to businesses.”
Rep. Ron Gant, who admitted that portion of the bill “isn’t popular,” decided he would strike it.
“My goal with the Tennessee Prevention of Drunk Driving Act has always been to raise awareness and offer preventative measures to curb drunk driving in our state,” Gant said, according to WSMV4. “While the final version of the bill is still being drafted, it will not include any language that prevents the sale of cold beer in Tennessee. This was one of several ideas being discussed by stakeholders across our state, however, I do not want to infringe on law-abiding citizens or be unfair to businesses.”
The about-face could have been spawned by some of the responses from other politicians, including Lt. Gov. Randy McNally.
“Next they’ll be outlawing coffee, I guess,” the politician quipped.
According to the statement provided to WSMV, the rewritten bill would mandate a report from the Tennessee Impaired Driving Council on impaired driving within the state and suggestions on decreasing drunk driving fatalities. The Alcoholic Beverage Commission would provide additional reports about alcohol and how it affects those residing in the state of Tennessee.
“The commission would also work with law enforcement to streamline responses to fatal crashes involving alcohol and trace where the offender obtained their alcohol from. A task force is being considered as well that would include members from various departments on how to combat drunk driving statewide,” Gant’s statement continued.
Though the language remains unclear on the consequences the businesses would face if the bill were to pass as written and law enforcement would indeed, “trace where the offender obtained their alcohol from,” Gant insists the proposed piece of legislation would not be unfair to businesses.
News Channel 5 Nashville reported that Gant claimed in an interview with the station that ease of access to alcohol was the main issue.
“Why do we make it so easy for the bad actors to have access to alcohol? If we know that it’s illegal to drink and drive, why does it have to be cold? Why can’t it be just a little bit of inconvenience to plan ahead and if you want to stock your refrigerator, by all means,” Gant said.
Yet at the moment, the cold beer portion of the bill is no longer up for consideration.
“Thanks y’all, have a good weekend. Have a cold beer on me,” Democratic House Caucus Chair Rep. John Ray Clemmons joked at a news conference in response to the news.
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