The bill — which Meadows said will be introduced to the Legislature in February — will be the lawmaker’s latest attempt at creating medical amnesty legislation.

A similar bill sponsored by the former East Lansing mayor failed to pass the state Senate last month before legislators adjourned, effectively killing any pending legislation.

“It’s a pretty simple concept,” Meadows said. “We put the life of a person ahead of the enforcement of some misdemeanor law.”

The text of the legislation likely will be identical to the former bill, and if passed, it would protect minors who seek help for themselves or others from being issued a citation in the event of an alcohol overdose.

The bill that died last session passed overwhelmingly in the state House, which was controlled by Democrats. Meadows does not believe the issue to be partisan, though, because the legislation overwhelmingly passed the House in October 2009.

Seven legislators voted against the bill when it cleared the House; they could not be reached for comment

The medical amnesty initiative is endorsed by ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government. During the last session, former East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert threw his support behind the bill as did the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan.

Emily Serkaian, director of governmental affairs for ASMSU’s Student Assembly, said the group has not broached the topic with Meadows this year.

Still, ASMSU plans to advocate for the bill when it is introduced, Serkaian said.

“It encourages people to take a responsible attitude and look out for their friends or people they see that really do need medical attention,” she said.

A hurdle ASMSU will need to clear is the fact many legislators are new and therefore might be unfamiliar with the legislation. A total of 90 legislators between the House and Senate are new.

ASMSU intends to reach out to the freshman legislators, Serkaian said.

“(We’ll) build those relationships, and hopefully they’ll want to pass our legislation,” she said.

Sydney Terenzi, a political science and pre-law senior, said she supports the bill’s intentions.

“If they’re seeking help, I think that shows some level of
responsibility, even though they were drinking,” Terenzi said.

If the bill follows past protocols after being introduced, it will be sent to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

The chair of that committee is state Rep. John Walsh, R-Livonia, who prefers to defer comment on the legislation until he has had an opportunity to read it, a staffer in his office said.

House records indicate Walsh voted in favor of the legislation last session.

“The chairman will look at obviously any legislation that’s introduced and referred to the committee,” the staffer said.

Before the House became Republican-controlled, Meadows chaired the Judiciary Committee. He still serves on the committee as its minority vice chair.

“Nothing’s changed on the bill; the world has not changed,” Meadows said. “This is an issue particularly for university communities — but other communities too.”