"bill" news and stories

Wondering what became of the proposed bill that would make it legal for people to bring their dogs to Florida restaurants? Well, on Monday the bill passed the Senate Regulated Industries Committee, according to the Associated Press. After that, it still has two more committees to pass before it hits the Senate floor for debate.

For those unfamiliar, the bill would give restaurants with outdoor seating the option to allow patrons to bring their dogs. Currently, this is a health code violation in Florida. Participating restaurants would be required to have $1 million of liability insurance to cover dog-related incidents like biting. Now, I'm a dog lover and I've always had dogs as pets, but I just don't understand why people feel the need to bring their dogs out to meals with them.

Florida restaurateurs may soon have their say in whether or not dogs can dine outside with their owners. Rep. Sheri McInvale, R-Orlando has introduced a bill that would create a three year variance from a current law that keeps dogs out of restaurants. Only restaurants that wanted to allow dogs would participate. The proposed law would not give dog owners the right to bring their dog any restaurant they choose.  Along with letting dogs dine al fresco, the proposed law would also require participating restaurants to have $1 million worth of liability insurance to cover possible biting incidents.

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A bill passed a legislative committee on Tuesday that would make the sale of raw, unpasteurized milk legal in the state of Utah, according to an article in The Salt Lake Tribune. If it goes through, Utahns (yes, Utahns) could soon be able to purchase the highly-coveted dairy product in retail stores. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Brad Johnson, R-Aurora, who is also a rancher.

The Utah Dairyman's Association opposes the bill, however, for fear of possible health issues associated with unpasteurized milk. They feel that if an illness were to result from a problem with raw milk, consumers and the media would fail to differentiate between raw (unpasteurized) and pasteurized, leaving the entire industry to suffer.

The Utah Public Health Association opposes the bill as well, for fear of shouldering the financial burdens they say may accompany public illness due to tainted milk.

The next time you grab a quart of Bud from your friendly Missouri stop-n-go, don't be surprised if it's warm as panther piss. A state lawmaker is trying to combat drunk driving by restricting how cold beer can be when it's sold at groceries and convenience stores. Senator Bill Alter feels that if beer is sold at temperatures of 60 degrees and warmer, people would be less likely to hop in their car and drink it. Apparently the idea came from a local fifth-grader participating in an educational program about lawmaking. Not surprisingly, a group of convenience store owners have come out against the proposed bill, as have other lawmakers.

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