Maryland cracks down on alcohol crimes

Alcohol was closely examined this year during the Maryland legislative session, and two of the bills passed deal with handing down stricter penalties.

Perhaps the most prominent measure passed was Noah’s Law, which makes ignition interlocks mandatory for first time DUI offenders.

The bill is named in honor of Noah Leotta, the Montgomery County police officer killed by a drunk driver last year.

Local defense attorney Eddie Gonzalez said he believes it’s the toughest drunk driving law in the United States, but he still has his reservations.

“There are some flaws with that interlock device, it beeps a lot, there’s times where it won’t make the car start, there’s times where for example, you take a swig of Listerine in the morning, you breathe into that thing, all of sudden it won’t start for the day,” Gonzalez said.

That’s an argument Sen. Addie Eckardt (R) said she’s heard before as a supporter of previous attempts at interlock legislation.

This year though, Noah’s Law passed both the House and Senate unanimously.

Eckardt said she likes how immediate the punishment for drunk driving would be.

“I believe that it is important to do it on the first offense and then you just up the ante from there,” Eckardt said.

Another alcohol-related bill, that got less publicity, deals with parents who host underage drinking parties and for those who provide alcohol to minors.

New legislation gives the judges the option to jail offenders for up to one year for their first offense.

Del. Carl Anderton voted for the bill and said parents need to set an example.

“I’ve never had alcohol beverages in my house since my kids were born and I don’t want them thinking that ‘hey, that’s a cool thing to do’, you know, I just, I don’t think it’s a habit that should be celebrated,” Anderton said.

Other versions of the bill would have made jail time mandatory.

Gonzalez said that would have been the wrong move.

“You’re allowing these legislators to determine a punishment right from the get go, without giving the judge, who’s there and being paid to decide the facts of the case to actually decide what should be done,” Gonzalez said.

Although both bills have passed, neither have been signed into law yet by Gov. Larry Hogan.