Though Eastern’s campus is small, some students depend on cars, rides, their driver’s licenses.

However, new legislation set to take effect in January may take away driving rights from students under 21 caught with alcohol.

House Bill 5941 was created to crack down on drunken driving because of the deaths that have resulted in past years.

“We continue to see in this state deaths caused by underage drinking on the roadways,” said state Rep. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon. “If people aren’t willing to be responsible for themselves, people are going to die. This new law is designed to aid that issue.”

The new law, sponsored by state Rep. Michael McAuliffe, R-14, Chicago, was passed by the General Assembly in the spring. It will allow the Illinois Secretary of State, currently Jesse White, to suspend or revoke a driver’s license of a person under 21 who has purchased, attempted to purchase or consumed alcohol.

If convicted, the underage person will be subject to a suspension of their license for up to one year and a $250 fine. A conviction for using a fake ID means their license will be revoked.

The bill was amended to ensure a conviction. Previously once an underage person was arrested the consequence would be given. The new law states a person must be convicted first.

Previously, if a person was caught drinking underage the penalty was a $250 fine under city ordinance. If someone was caught with a fake ID, the offenders’ driver’s license would be suspended, said Steve Davis, coordinator of Student Legal Services, Monday.

At the root of the new law is a study by the Illinois Licensed Beverage Association that surveyed underage college students. The study found that generally students are aware that as long as they’re not caught with a fake ID they’ll be relatively out of trouble. In addition, the study found that a drivers license is one of the most valued of students’ possessions.

Advocates of the bill are Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Illinois Retailer Merchants Association, Distilled Spirits Council, Association of Beer Distributors and Wine and Spirits Distributors of Illinois.

The new law, Righter said, is a shift of weight of consequences. Instead of liability resting solely on the retailers who sell alcohol to underage people, now the underage purchaser will have to take responsibility. The consequences for both the retailer and the purchaser will be shared.

“This bill is an attempt to shift over to the underage person,” he said. “The young person is the one who’s initiating it.”

Another drinking risk

What? House Bill 5941

Why? To try to cut down on drunk driving

What does it mean? Minors caught with alcohol will lose their licenses for up to a year.

When? January 2003