While researching hunting laws to aid my teaching of Hunter Safety Courses, I ran across a law that needed to be changed for the sake of public safety.

A person can by law be 0.02 grams of blood alcohol content higher than our highway D.U.I standards before they are considered under the influence for hunting or boating.  

I immediately set out to bring the boating under the influence and hunting under the influence laws inline with our highway laws, thereby making all under the influence of alcohol laws set at 0.08 BAC.

I contacted my district senator, Bill Heath and explained my concerns to him.  On Jan. 29th, Senate Bill 71 was introduced to the Georgia Senate by Sen. Heath joined by Sens. (Jack) Murphy, Douglas, Staton, Jackson, Butterworth and others to rectify and bring inline our under the influence laws.  

I owe a great debt of gratitude to these senators and Col. Terry West of the Georgia DNR. Through their actions they have displayed much moral character advocating safety in the outdoors. Please join me in supporting Senate Bill 71 by contacting Sen. Murphy’s district office and let him know you fully support Senate Bill 71.

Andy Johnson

Tallapoosa