OHIO LAW Taft raises concerns over tailgating bill

Carano said his bill does not promote drinking for teenagers.
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- Gov. Bob Taft is raising concerns over a House-passed bill that would permit tailgating sports fans to drink alcohol in closed-off portions of university or pro sports team-owned premises.
But the bill's sponsor says he still believes his proposal will become law.
Taft, a Republican, raised his concerns over the bill sponsored by state Rep. Ken Carano of Austintown, D-59th, in a letter this month to House Speaker Larry Householder and Senate President Doug White.
Carano's bill passed the House earlier this month and is pending in the Senate.
"I would like to express my extremely serious concerns with [Carano's bill] that creates a new 'tailgating' permit for which colleges and universities could apply," the governor wrote to legislative leaders.
Taft said state officials have been working with higher-education institutions to reduce high-risk drinking and underage liquor consumption and that the proposed measure might conflict with that effort.
Carano downplayed the governor's concerns.
"This certainly doesn't encourage teenage drinking," Carano said of his proposal. "This doesn't change any liquor law in the state of Ohio."
Carano's measure also drew renewed support from other Mahoning Valley lawmakers.
What's in bill
"This bill would at least keep the universities from violating the open-container laws," said state Rep. Sylvester Patton of Youngstown, D-60th.
Under the bill, an F-7 liquor permit would be established to allow the consumption of alcohol on restricted areas of university or private property.
The restricted area must be enclosed by a fence or some other barrier, and security personnel must watch over the entrance to ensure that people don't leave the area with open containers of alcohol.
The bill does not propose to permit the sale of alcohol on the premises, and universities would not be mandated to apply for the permits, Carano has said.
Carano has said he introduced the bill after press reports last fall that there was a rule on the books in Ohio banning open containers of alcohol on public parking lots.
Publicity over the little-known rule had made some officials at Youngstown State University nervous, thus leading to the bill. YSU is near Carano's district.
But the bill also has drawn opposition from the state's largest university, Ohio State University, because of the potential drain on public safety forces to police the tailgate areas and the additional costs for fencing, signs and other equipment.