RAVE Act is back!

[cookiegirl]

thanks to tiny for telling me about this!

Sneaky Senator Daschle has introduced S. 22, an "omnibus domestic security bill". The sneaky part is how he wrapped last year's defeated RAVE Act into it as a "crack house" provision. The RAVE Act (S. 2633 in the last session of Congress) received a ton of media attention and was basically shut down by effective grassroots action. The basic issue is that it would have punished business owners for failing to stop the drug-related actions of their patrons. Using phrases like "the trafficking and use of 'club drugs'. . is deeply embedded in the rave culture" and "raves have become little more than a way to exploit American youth", the bill was a whipping boy for the disintegration of the American rave scene.

Now it's back, wrapped into an easy-to-pass bill. This bill is a danger to public health (in that it takes a hard line as opposed to harm reduction stance on recreational drug use) and free speech (in that business owners may be too afraid to rent or lease their property to groups holding medical marijuana rallies, all-night dance parties and other events). The provisions would also make it a federal crime to temporarily use a place for the purpose of using any illegal drug. Anyone who used drugs in their own home or threw a party or barbecue in which one or more of their guests used drugs could face a $250,000 fine and time in federal prison. The provisions also effectively make it impossible to rent property to AIDS and cancer patients, among others, who use marijuana to relieve their suffering.

According to drugpolicy.org, "the S.22 'crack house' provisions punish businessmen and women for the crimes of their customers. The government can't even keep drugs out of its schools and prisons, yet it seeks to punish business owners for failing to keep people from carrying drugs onto their premises. If these provisions become law, federal authorities will have the ability to scare business owners away from using or renting their property for all-night dance events, as well as any other 'politically incorrect event."

If you'd like to take action on this, visit drugpolicy.org to send a pre-written letter to Daschle, or go to senate.gov to find out the contact information for your home state Senator.

[revaluation]

Well I already wanna put a big foot is Daschle's ass, so this really doesn't help...cocksucking lil Napolean-complex M'Fer

[tinybutterfli]

Originally posted by cookiegirl
If you'd like to take action on this, visit drugpolicy.org to send a pre-written letter to Daschle, or go to senate.gov to find out the contact information for your home state Senator.

you guys should also visit www.dcnc.org for updates on what's going on with this bill as well as other laws/bills that threaten the dance community.

[cookiegirl]

Originally posted by revaluation
Well I already wanna put a big foot is Daschle's ass, so this really doesn't help...cocksucking lil Napolean-complex M'Fer

Give him a good kick for me too!

[cookiegirl]

Here is the list of cosponsors:

Sen Biden Jr., Joseph R. [DE]
Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA]
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]
Sen Corzine, Jon [NJ]
Sen Dayton, Mark [MN]
Sen Durbin, Richard J. [IL]
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA]
Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT]
Sen Murray, Patty [WA]
Sen Reed, Jack [RI]
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY]

. . . and the cosponsors of s. 2633 from the 107th Congress (the old RAVE Act)

Sen Biden Jr., Joseph R. [DE] <-- original sponsor
Sen Grassley, Charles E. [IA]
Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT]
Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT]
Sen Thurmond, Strom [SC]
Sen Leahy, Patrick J. [VT] (withdrawn - 9/13/2002)
Sen Durbin, Richard J. [IL] (withdrawn - 9/24/2002)

re: Leahy and Durbin -- if they withdrew their support from the RAVE Act then they should have to explain why they are supporting it in this bill.

[vixenfoxxy]

Hate to say it but I really wish the Anthrax woulda gotten him.

[weyes]

thanks, tiny and cookie! i'll put a link to this thread on the l.a. forum.

i can't believe barbara boxer is in on this one; she's getting a letter from me, too .

[cookiegirl]

I just found out the bill text probably won't be available 'till Monday . . .

[sauvee88]

DAYYUM..... list of the usual suspects..... Hatch, Clinton, Lieberman, Thurmond, Kennedy, Leahy, Biden Jr.

I didn't vote for any of these srewballs and for those that did - SHAME!!!

Honestly - they're all in need of a reality check...

cookie - smack'em around when you pass them in the halls!!

from dndc or whatever it is

ACTIONS TO TAKE

*** Call your two Senators. You can contact your Senators through the
Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. To find out who your Senators
are go to: http://www.senate.gov/senators/senator_by_state.cfm.
Tell them:
1) You oppose the "crack house statute" amendments in S.22.
2) These provisions are just like the provisions in the RAVE Act
last year.
3) The provisions would endanger public health, free speech, and
property rights.
4) Urge them to contact Daschle's office and work to get these
provisions removed from S.22.

** Fax Senator Daschle (even if he is not one of your two Senators).
To fax Senator Daschle go to:
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/a...p=2&item=1448.

** Please forward this action alert to your friends and family. The
Senate needs to know that voters find this bill unacceptable.

For more information on the RAVE Act and how the S. 22 "crack house"
provisions will affect public health, free speech, and property
rights see: http://www.nomoredrugwar.org/music/rave_act.htm

[cookiegirl]

S. 22
Justice Enhancement and Domestic Security Act of 2003
Part 4-Crack House Statute Amendments

Sec. 5131. Offenses. Amends crack house statute (21 U.S.C. 856) to make it apply to those who (1) knowingly open, lease, rent, use or maintain a place either permanently or temporarily for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing or using any controlled substance and (2) manage or control any place, whether permanently or temporarily, for the purpose of unlawfully manufacturing, storing, distributing, or using a controlled substance. These changes clarify that the law applies not just to ongoing drug distribution operations, but to "single-event" activities. This section also applies the law to outdoor as well as indoor venues.

Sec. 5132. Civil penalty and equitable relief for maintaining drug-involved premises. Establishes the civil penalty for violating 21 U.S.C. 856 as amended to either $250,000 or two times the gross receipts that were derived from each violation of that section.

Sec. 5133. Declaratory and injunctive remedies. Authorizes the Attorney General to commence a civil action for declaratory or injunctive relief for violations of 21 U.S.C. 856 as amended.

Sec. 5134. Sentencing Commission guidelines. Requires the Sentencing Commission to review Federal sentencing guidelines with respect to offenses involving gammahydroxybutyric acid and consider amending Federal sentencing guidelines to provide for increased penalties.

Sec. 5135. Authorization of appropriations for a demand reduction coordinator. Authorizes $5.9 million to the Drug Enforcement Administration to hire a special agent in each State to coordinate demand reduction activities.

Sec. 5136. Authorization of appropriations for drug education. Authorizes such sums as may be necessary to the Drug Enforcement Administration to educate youths, parents, and other interested adults about the drugs associated with raves.

[revaluation]

But it still doesn't clarify how promoters will be in violation of the law unless they KNOW about or PROMOTE drug use.

The RAVE act said the evidence of the promoter KNOWING about it was that they charged high prices for water and sold glowsticks, vicks, etc.

None of that is in there this time.

How will they prove that the promoters knew about it unless they catch them red-handed with the drugs?

[cookiegirl]

The really scary thing, as tiny has pointed out to me, is that these provisions are a teeny part of a massive 30 page bill that also includes very popular programs like Safe Borders, Anti-Terrorism Hoaxes, the friggin AMBER Alert system (who's going to turn that one down?), children's protection, senior safety and so on and on and on. So unless we make the Congresspeople aware that this little sneaky thing is stuck in there, it'll go through with no problem.

I've attached the text of the bill if anyone wants to take a look.