Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Dinniman's Bill To Help College Towns Gets OK

The Pennsylvania Senate on Monday overwhelmingly approved two bills co-sponsored by state Sen. Andy Dinniman that would greatly assist college towns with alcohol-related challenges, including the Borough of West Chester.

Senate Bills 941 and 943, authored by state Sen. Jake Corman and co-sponsored by Sen. Dinniman, would significantly increase revenue for municipalities by increasing the fees and possible fines for alcohol-related offenses.

Senate Bill 941, approved 45-3, would increase the maximum fine for public drunkenness from $300 to $1,000 and the maximum fine for a second and subsequent underage-drinking offense from $500 to $1,000. Dinniman said he understands that the Borough of West Chester would use the extra revenue for police enforcement of alcohol laws.

Senate Bill 943, approved 46-2, would let municipalities add a separate $100 court fee onto those convicted of various alcohol-related offenses, ranging from public drunkenness to possessing false identification to driving while intoxicated. The revenue must be used by the police department’s Alcohol Offense Prevention Unit to deter alcohol-related crimes through education.

“Monday’s vote is heartening. It shows that a strong majority of my Senate colleagues agree that towns like West Chester need help dealing with alcohol-fueled crimes for the sake of their taxpayers and for the sake of residents’ quality of life,” Dinniman said. “Furthermore, these bills correctly put the financial onus on the perpetrators of these nuisance crimes, not their victims.”

West Chester Mayor Carolyn Comitta said, “We applaud the Senate for passing these common-sense bills. Studies show that 99 percent of crimes are drug or alcohol-related. These bills will help derive revenue from alcohol-related crimes, so that we can better protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents and visitors.”

Jordan Norley, West Chester Borough councilmember for the 4th ward and chairman of the Council’s Public Safety Committee, said “The overwhelming vote for Senate Bills 941 and 943 clearly signals recognition of the challenges that municipalities that host universities face. West Chester appreciates the Senator’s effort in this regard, and we look forward to continuing to improve our arsenal of tools available to protect our citizens’ safety and quality of life.”

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