LINCOLN — At age 20, Raven O'Neill won't be affected by Nebraska's new, stiffer penalties for teenagers caught with alcohol.
But the new state law that took effect Thursday might come as a surprise to many young Nebraskans, judging from O'Neill's wide eyes and startled tone.
The law provides that teens age 18 and younger can lose their driver's licenses or permits if they are convicted of being a minor in possession of alcohol. The same new penalties apply to teens caught with marijuana.
“It's going to be a big shock,” O'Neill said.
The Omaha native also said the law could be a start toward addressing problems of younger teen drinking.
Vince Ruhl and Sam Karnes, both of Lincoln, also say the law could make a difference.
Karnes, 19, said MIP charges didn't appear to carry much of a penalty for her high school classmates.
Ruhl, 20, said teens might pay attention to the prospect of losing their driver's licenses so soon after getting one.
But Braden Zysset, 20, said he disagrees with the idea of taking driving privileges from someone whose conviction was unrelated to driving.
“There's no correlation,” Zysset said.
Under the new law, teens age 18 and younger could lose their driver's license or permit for 30 days on a first offense, 90 days on a second and a full year for a third offense.
For teens without a license or permit, an alcohol conviction would mean delays in being able to get one.
Teens also could be ordered to take alcohol education, complete community service and get an alcohol evaluation.
The new penalties are in addition to the previous punishment for MIP, which is up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The fine and possible jail time remain the penalties for 19- and 20-year-olds convicted of MIP.
Among other new laws taking effect Thursday:
Ÿ People who haven't paid past-due state taxes risk seeing their names on a new “wall of shame.” Names of people who owe the state more than $20,000 in back taxes will be published on the state Departments of Revenue and Labor websites.
Ÿ Licensing Fido and Fluffy will cost a little more now. A $1 state fee is being added to pet license costs, with the money paying for inspections of dog and cat breeding and care facilities.
Ÿ Formerly delinquent youths who clean up their acts can apply to the courts to have their juvenile records sealed from the public. The change could make it easier for young adults to get jobs and scholarships.
Ÿ Juveniles who skip school or commit crimes could have their driver's licenses suspended, in addition to other penalties. Parents of truant youngsters could be fined up to $500 and ordered to perform community service.
Ÿ The state's Mexican American Commission is now the Latino American Commission. The name was changed to reflect the broader mission of the 38-year-old state agency.
Ÿ Taxpayers now will be able to learn how much local governments shell out to settle lawsuits. Settlements amounting to $50,000 or more will be public information.
Ÿ Auto liability policies now apply to all passengers, including a driver's relatives. Previous law excluded spouses, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings and in-laws from coverage.
Ÿ Sellers of alcohol, tobacco or lottery tickets can start checking customers' ages by using electronic readers to scan driver's licenses. The readers are allowed to store age and card identification numbers only.
Ÿ Cell phone companies will have to release records when requested by law enforcement in emergencies or life-threatening situations. The law should head off fights such as that faced by Kansas parents when their 18-year-old daughter was abducted and murdered.
Ÿ Travelers should start seeing official signs promoting amusement, historical, cultural or leisure attractions along Nebraska highways. The signs will be similar to those alerting drivers to food, fuel and lodging.
Ÿ Farmers and ranchers can legally shoot mountain lions threatening people or livestock. Property owners also now have more legal avenues to deal with deer overpopulation.
Ÿ Construction and delivery businesses that improperly classify workers as “independent contractors” now can be fined. The fines are $500 per worker per day for a first offense and $5,000 per worker per day for later offenses.
Contact the writer:
402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com
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