A University of Wisconsin-Madison student government intern outlined her plans Monday to create a bill aiming to lower the Wisconsin drinking age.
Freshman Madison Laning, an Associated Student of Madison intern, announced at a legislative affairs meeting she’s begun research to create a bill allowing Wisconsin residents between the ages of 19 and 21 to buy alcohol if they purchase a permit.
Lowering the drinking age would mean Wisconsin would lose federal highway funding, so Laning said selling permits would help make up this loss. She said the bill could allow police officers to concentrate on more important problems than underage drinking.
“They’ll be able to focus on more things like sexual assault and … dangers on campus instead of drinking problems all the time,” Laning said.
At the meeting Chair Morgan Rae also gave an update on the F50 campaign, which hopes to give students more power over decisions about distributing segregated fees. Rae said she and other ASM representatives met with state Rep. Adam Neylon, R-Pewaukee on Wednesday, who initiated drafting the bill.
