Advocates Rally to Pass AB 1694

Charge for Harm Bill will Create a California Alcohol Mitigation Fee on Big Alcohol to Help Reduce the Deficit, Support Existing Programs and Create New Jobs

LOS ANGELES, March 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Charge for Harm Alliance:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100325/DC77162LOGO )

What: Rally – District Visit

Where & When:

• Assembly Member Hector de La Torre

Date:  March 26, 2010

Rally time: 11 a.m.

Legislative visit time: 11:30 a.m.

Location: 8724 Garfield Avenue, Suite 104, South Gate, CA 90280

Who:  

• A.W.A.R.E. Coalition / Tarzana Treatment Centers
• Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP)
• California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA)
• Drug Policy Alliance
• Pueblo Y Salud
• Marin Institute

Why: To advocate for the passage of AB 1694, the Alcohol-Related Services Act - Authored by Assembly Member Jim Beall (D - San Jose), the measure creates the Alcohol-Related Services Program. The program will be funded by a $700+ million annual mitigation fee on Big Alcohol to help cover California's annual alcohol-related trauma care, hospitalization, treatment, prevention, and criminal justice costs. The bill, which exempts thousands of small wineries, breweries and distillers from the new fee, will be reconsidered in the Assembly Health Committee on April 6, 2010.

To help legislators understand the astronomical annual $38.4 billion dollar cost of alcohol-related harm in California, and the effects on a chronically under-funded health care system and the residents of the state.

To elevate visibility of the Charge for Harm Alliance – a diverse, statewide network of concerned individuals, treatment and prevention service providers, cities, counties, public health departments, enforcement, labor, youth and faith-based groups determined to pass a fair and meaningful alcohol-harm mitigation fee in California.  Other Alliance members and AB 1694 supporters will be visiting Assembly Health Committee members in their district offices throughout the Easter break.

For additional information, go to: ChargeForHarm.org

Contact:  

John Whitaker Jr. 213/400-6542

Jorge Castillo 213/840-3336

SOURCE Charge for Harm Alliance