Legislature update

The ABV bill approved Wednesday by the Alabama House Tourism & Travel Committee got its second reading in the full House today, according to ALISON, the Legislature's interactive Web site. It's set for a third reading, and hopefully a vote, on Tuesday.

By the way, the bill - HB196 - as approved by the committee, amended the proposed new alcohol limit for beer to 13.9 percent. The bill originally called for a 14.9 percent limit. Free the Hops and its supporters compromised on the limit to get more support for the bill. (Any way you slice it, 13.9 percent still lets more good beer into the state than the current 6 percent.)

The House took up one other alcohol-related bill today. HB77, which passed the house and now goes to the Senate, would introduce special drivers licenses for convicted DUI offenders who are required to have ignition-interlock devices installed on their cars. The devices check the driver's blood-alcohol level and prevent the car from starting if he's over the legal limit (Wikipedia has a good primer on the technology). The bill also would set penalties for trying to get around the devices, or loaning unencumbered cars to restricted drivers.

EDIT (2:46 p.m.) - I should note that SB116, the identical companion to the House ABV bill, also got a favorable review from its committee, and was read for the second time in the Senate today. Like the House bill, it's listed as ready for a third reading Tuesday, which is the next step before a vote. FTH's Stuart Carter says that may not happen until mid-March.