Oklahoma Alcohol Ban Seeks Booze Buying Prohibition For Drivers With DUI Convictions

An Oklahoma alcohol ban bill proposes to prevent drivers with prior DUI convictions from legally being able to purchase alcohol in the state.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, an Oklahoma hoodie ban proposal became instantly controversial since critics described the proposed law as racial discrimination based upon the history of Trayvon Martin’s hoodie.

Oklahoma State Sen. Patrick Anderson is proposing to enforce the proposed alcohol ban by forcing DUI offenders to carry a special identification card that lists them as “alcohol restricted.” Anyone carrying this ID card would be prohibited from buying alcohol and even consuming it during a time period specified by the court judges. In addition, the proposed law bans stores from knowingly selling, delivering or furnishing alcoholic beverages to a person who has been ordered to abstain. Business owners and employees who knowingly violate the law are subject to a $1,000 fine or one year in prison.

In addition, the bill requires the installation of an ignition interlock device which functions like a breathalyzer and prevents the vehicle’s owner from driving when drunk. This device would be installed on every vehicle operated by the restricted driver. The court can also require the driver to submit to electronically monitored home detention.

Defense Attorney David Slane claims the proposed Oklahoma alcohol ban has a number of problems with the way the bill is currently written.

“The law does not have a catch all provision that would allow for circumstances if it’s in the food,” he said according to Fox 25. “In cases were people have religious right to take communion where there may be alcohol in the wine — does it allow for that? Keep in mind the consumption of alcohol has never been illegal unless you were underage, and in this case they are saying we want the court to enforce something that’s almost unenforceable.”

Former federal prosecutor Doug Burns agrees with this assessment, saying that the alcohol ban was “crazy” and could “land someone before a judge for something as simple as going to the store to pick up wine for the family.”

Defense attorney Richard Roth agreed that the proposed alcohol ban would be “hard to enforce,” but claims, “This is a deterrent, and there must be something done.”