Intoxicated minors who seek medical help for alcohol consumption soon will be protected by a new state law that grants amnesty to those who recognize they need help.
The newly passed medical amnesty law, which takes effect on June 1, aims to curtail drinking fatalities by allowing intoxicated minors to call for medical assistance without receiving a minor in possession charge, or MIP.
Gov. Rick Snyder signed the bill — introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township — into law last week after legislators spent more than a year working on it.
“Ensuring the safety of our youth is a priority,” Snyder said in a statement. “Removing the fear of penalty when seeking emergency assistance can help save lives.”
The law has been discussed for several years, with both legislators and ASMSU officials pushing for the policy and testifying on behalf of it.
ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.
The bill was on its way to the governor’s desk when Dylan Miller was elected to his position of ASMSU vice chair for governmental affairs on April 26, and he said he would do whatever it took to ensure the governor signed it.
Now that it has become an official public act, Miller said it will become ASMSU’s duty to inform students on what medical amnesty is and how it affects students.
“It’s a critical step in helping to save lives,” he said.
“There should be no question now that picking up the phone and making that 911 call is the right decision.”
ASMSU has advocated for the policy for several years, seeking legislative sponsors for each new session after the previous bills failed.
The biggest change to the bill during its years of discussion was adding a subsection protecting minors who have been sexually assaulted while intoxicated, but might be reluctant to call for help for fear of legal consequences.
Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing, said the clause about sexual assault was added to protect victims of sexual assault who might otherwise not report the crime.
Meadows and other legislators, including Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, introduced similar legislation in the past, but these efforts were stalled by lack of support or legislator breaks.
Jones also worked with MSU students to advance medical amnesty in the Senate, where he introduced his own version of the bill last year.
Jones said during his tenure with the Eaton County Sheriff Department, he saw cases of deaths caused by binge drinking, and emphasized the student need for amnesty across the state.
“Most of the time, it’s students who get into trouble with alcohol (when) they’ve actually consumed so much they passed out,” he said.
The bill passed the House of Representatives in March with a vote of 105-4 and the Senate last month 38-0. It officially was signed by Snyder on May 8 and takes effect June 1.
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