Bill lowering NY drunk while hunting level

[Bassknuckles]

Cuomo signs bill lowering NY drunk while hunting level

Beginning next year, there will be a lower threshold for New Yorkers to be charged with drunk hunting.

auburnpub.com

I guess only one more year of drinking blackberry brandy in my tree stand (yes I'm kidding) but why wait a year, put it on the books and enact it in 90 days.

Robert Harding
Online producer and politics reporter
Oct 25, 2019

Beginning next year, there will be a lower threshold for New Yorkers to be charged with drunk hunting.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday signed legislation that would reduce the blood alcohol content needed to be charged with hunting while intoxicated from 0.10% to 0.08%.

The law, which will take effect Sept. 1, 2020, brings the hunting while intoxicated standard in line with driving and boating while intoxicated. Since 2002, you can be charged with DWI in New York if you have a blood alcohol level of 0.08%. The same level has been in place for drunk boating since 2003

The legislation passed by a 147-1 vote in the state Assembly. The state Senate approved it by a 55-6 margin.

The bill's memo explains that other states have changed laws to establish 0.08% as the blood alcohol level for hunting while intoxicated charges. Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire and West Virginia lowered the threshold for drunk hunting. Other states, including neighboring Pennsylvania, have pursued similar legislation.

States that adopted the measure argue it's needed to ensure hunter safety and it brings the standard in line with the blood alcohol level for drunk driving charges.

"If you're too drunk to go hunting, you're not only risking your own safety, but you're putting everyone else around you in harm's way," Kaplan said. "This new law just makes sense to protect New Yorkers from a dangerous accident with a gun."

 

[pequa1]

I still can not believe that blaze orange is not required in this state. Excepting guys that fall out of trees, every fatality was not wearing blaze orange. It comes in camo which is what I wear and I usually hunt on a nuisance permit and rarely see another hunter, but you never know. As for booze, hot tea in a thermos works for me.