Proposed California Ballot Initiative That Would Lower Drinking Age to 18 Cleared to Collect Signatu

[Jesus Malverde]

proposed ballot initiative that would lower the minimum legal drinking age in the state from 21 to 18 has been cleared to begin collecting signatures, according to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

If it receives enough signatures to qualify for the November 2016 ballot, voters will be able to decide whether 18- to- 20-year-olds will be able to legally purchase and consume alcohol beverages in California.

A bill establishing the national minimum drinking age to 21 was passed in 1984.

The measure’s proponent, Terrance Lynn, has 180 days — until April 26, 2016 — to collect 365,880 signatures in order for the initiative to qualify for the ballot, Padilla announced last Friday.

http://ktla.com/2015/11/04/proposed-ballot-initiative-that-would-lower-drinking-age-in-california-to-18-cleared-to-collect-signatures/

[Travis_0004]

1. Wouldnt they lose highway funds if they lowered the drinking age

I think the national minimum drinking age act is still ineffect, so the loss of highway funds should be enough to convince people not to support it.

[Jesus Malverde]

2. Could be a reprucussion.

Maybe they'll make it up in alcohol taxes.

[petronius]

4. Looks like the analysts are chalking it up as a net loss:

...
If the measure is approved, the state would lose $200 million in federal highway funds, according to a fiscal impact on state and local governments from the Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance.

It would also lead to an increase of state and local tax revenues from the sales of alcoholic beverages, possibly totaling several million dollars each year, the Secretary of State’s website stated.
...

Negative $200 million versus a possible positive several million...

[petronius]

3. Seems like it will have an effect on turn-out, anyway: the 18-20s will

will come out in droves. Of course, their parents and neighbors may come in equal numbers, depending on how the discussion goes...

[KamaAina]

5. "A bill establishing the national minimum drinking age to 21 was passed in 1984."

Not quite. What it did was rip off federal highway funds from states that didn't comply. I was victimized several times during the '80s when Conn. kept raising the goddamn age one year ahead of me, thereby shutting me out of (on-campus, anyway) college social life.

[olddots]

6. America sells booze thru rape culture fantisies

count on us keeping a high age limit to create a desire level .