Kaplan Bill Decreasing Threshold for "Hunting While Intoxicated" Signed Into Law By Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo

CARLE PLACE, NY (October 23, 2019) – Today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation sponsored by Senator Anna M. Kaplan (S.2417), which decreases the amount of alcohol in a person's system necessary to be considered to be intoxicated while hunting.

“If you're too drunk to drive a car or a boat, then you're too too drunk to pick up a gun and go hunting” said Senator Anna M. Kaplan. “This is a common sense measure that corrects the law so that the standard for intoxication is the same whether you're driving, boating, or hunting."

The bill, S.2417, introduced by Senator Anna M. Kaplan, amends the environmental conservation law to lower the blood alcohol content (BAC) level at which an individual is deemed to be "hunting while intoxicated" from .10 to .08 to conform it to current state laws on driving and boating while intoxicated.

Senator Kaplan concluded, "if you're too drunk to go hunting, you're not only risking your own safety, but you're putting everyone else around you in harms way. This new law just makes sense to protect New Yorkers from a dangerous accident with a gun."