Alcohol Education Law Enacted After DUI Arrest of Sponsored Lawmaker

January 2, 2025 TruthUSA

A previous California assemblywoman’s arrest for DUI prompted her to develop legislation aimed at teaching students about the dangers of alcohol.

A law in California mandating public schools to educate students on the risks associated with excessive drinking took effect on January 1.

Governor Gavin Newsom enacted Assembly Bill 2865 in September 2024. This bill was introduced by former Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) following her conviction for drunk driving.

Carrillo was arrested in November 2023 after a DUI incident involving collisions with parked vehicles in Los Angeles.

“That experience profoundly transformed my life. I was taken into custody, spent a night in jail, faced the consequences, and acknowledged my responsibilities,” Carrillo stated during a June 2024 hearing regarding the bill.

In January 2024, she entered a no-contest plea for the DUI and was required to complete several programs, including a class with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 50 hours of community service, and payment of a $2,000 fine. Additionally, her driver’s license was restricted to allow driving only to work and her programs.

“Fortunately, no one was hurt,” Carrillo remarked in a statement at the time. “As a public official, I understand that I must uphold a higher standard, demanding personal accountability for my actions, and I take responsibility for what I have done.”

At the time of her arrest, Carrillo was attempting to succeed Councilman Kevin de León but was unsuccessful in the race and vacated her assembly seat at the end of November 2024.

California law has long mandated that elementary and secondary schools teach students about alcohol, narcotics, restricted dangerous drugs, and other hazardous substances.

The new law requires schools to provide information on the “immediate effects of alcohol that elevate the risks of harmful health conditions and how excessive alcohol consumption may result in chronic diseases, serious issues, including alcohol-related deaths and mental health challenges,” as stated in the bill’s text.

Alcohol is recognized as the most commonly used substance among youth in the United States.

As reported by the National Institutes of Health in 2024, 12.9 percent of eighth graders indicated they consumed alcohol in the previous year. Among 10th graders, 26.1 percent reported past-year alcohol use, and 41.7 percent of seniors did the same.

In 2022, the California Department of Health Care Services reported 384 fatalities related to alcohol among individuals under 21, with drivers aged 15 to 20 causing 129 deadly accidents due to a blood alcohol content exceeding 0.01 percent.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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