California’s new law that took effect on January 1 requires public schools in the state to educate students on the dangers and risks of excessive alcohol consumption.
The AB2865 law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September of last year, was proposed by then-Democratic State Assemblymember Wendy Carrill, who had a conviction for driving under the influence (DUI). In November 2023, Carrill was arrested in Los Angeles for crashing into a parked vehicle while driving. During a hearing on the bill in June 2024, she stated, “That moment completely changed my life. I was detained, spent a night in jail, faced the consequences, and took responsibility.”
In January 2024, Carrill did not contest the DUI incident and was ordered to attend various programs, including courses from the “Mothers Against Drunk Driving” organization, complete 50 hours of community service, and pay a $2,000 fine. Her driver’s license was restricted to work and participation in these programs. At that time, Carrill said in a statement, “Luckily, no one was injured.”
Carrill was arrested during her campaign to replace Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León. However, she lost the election and resigned from her state assembly position at the end of November 2024.
Current California law already requires teaching students in elementary and middle schools about alcohol, narcotics, controlled substances, and other hazardous materials. The new law mandates schools to provide information on how alcohol increases the risk of harmful health conditions, and how excessive drinking can lead to chronic diseases and other serious issues, including alcohol-related deaths and mental health problems.
Alcohol is a widely used substance among American teenagers. According to data collected by the National Institutes of Health in 2024, 12.9% of eighth-grade students reported drinking alcohol in the past 12 months. Among tenth graders, 26.1% reported drinking alcohol in the past 12 months, while 41.7% of twelfth graders were in a similar situation.
In 2022, the California Department of Health Care Services reported that 384 underage youths in California died due to alcohol-related reasons. Drivers aged 15-20 with blood alcohol concentrations exceeding 0.01% caused 129 fatal accidents.