December 6, 2006

Alcohol Action Alert

The Senate passed SB 948 very quickly last week during the Veto Session, and the bill will come up for another vote in the House when the Session resumes on January 7-9, 2007.

SB 948 would allow retail liquor establishments (bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels, etc.) to sell a whole bottle of distilled spirits to 2 or more people at one time. This will lead to binge drinking, drinking and driving, and underage drinking.

For Immediate Action

1. Call your State Representative (217-782-2000) and ask him/her to Vote NO on SB 948.
2. Share this information with your group and others, asking them to place individual calls to their State Representative.
3. Forward to 10 others.

Talking Points to Oppose SB 948

• SB 948 would legalize "bottle service", selling an entire bottle of distilled spirits to a table or group of patrons. This practice is prohibited by law, and establishments found conducting this practice are subject to a fine, suspension or revocation of their license.
• In August the Illinois Liquor Control Commission issued notices of violation to 13 liquor license holders for conducting "bottle service" on their premises. Now lawmakers want to amend the law to legalize this practice, which was outlawed in 1989 as part of the Happy Hour Law.
• SB 948 encourages binge drinking and over consumption of alcohol by allowing the sale of bottles of spirits to 2 or more people. Bar staff cannot supervise alcohol consumption. If people are paying several hundred dollars for a bottle of distilled spirits, they will consume the entire bottle.
• SB 948 could increase underage drinking. Who will be watching to make sure that no one under the age of 21 consumes alcohol from a bottle of distilled spirits that is brought to the table? Many 18-20 year olds dress and look older. With no one to card them at a table, they could easily consume alcohol from the distilled spirits bottle.
• The number of alcoholic drinks in a bottle of distilled spirits is more than from other types of alcohol. One drink = 12 oz. of beer or wine cooler, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of distilled spirits (whiskey, vodka, etc.). A bottle of vodka is at least 20 drinks.
• Icreasing consumption of alcohol will result in an increase in alcohol problems--drinking and driving, alcohol abuse and addiction, violence, assaults, and crime. The cost of alcohol are greater than the amount of revenue generated. For every dollar of alcohol revenue in the U. S., the cost to American society is $8.10.
• Public health and safety could be jeopardized by legalizing "bottle service" and allowing the over consumption of alcohol.

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