Kaplan Bill Decreasing Threshold for "Hunting While Intoxicated" Takes Effect Across NY

CARLE PLACE, NY (September 2, 2020) – New York State's Drunk Hunting standard got stricter this week as legislation sponsored by Senator Anna M. Kaplan (D-Great Neck) took effect to decrease 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 drunk while handling a gun, you're putting yourself at risk, and countless others nearby. This new law just makes sense to protect New Yorkers from a dangerous accident with a gun."

The bill took effect on September 1, 2020.

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