"Medical amnesty" for helping ailing revelers passed
- Blog Post by: Jim Ragsdale
- May 18, 2013 - 6:16 PM
Underage partiers who call for emergency help for an ailing friend can avoid prosecution under a bill given final approval by the Legislature on Saturday.
The proposal, known as a "medical amnesty," is aimed at encouraging people who may be violating alcohol laws to call for help if a friend needs medical assistance.
It states that a person is immune to prosecution for under aged possession or consumption of alcohol if he or she calls 911 to help someone else, stays on the scene and cooperates with authorities when they arrive.
College student organizations have pushed for the bill. The Senate approved it by a 51-10 vote on Saturday, following approval by a 124-8 margin on Thursday. It now goes to Gov. Mark Dayton.
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