5/28/04-A bill that would have prohibited open containers of alcohol in vehicles has died.
It remained in the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee at the close of the session May 21, effectively killing the bill for the year.
Under Tennessee law, drivers are prohibited from having an open alcoholic beverage, but passengers over 21 are free to drink while in the vehicle.
SB1717, sponsored by Sen. Jim Bryson, R-Franklin, sought to eliminate the open container provision.
Currently, the state is required to spend a chunk of its federal highway funds on traffic safety because the state doesn’t have a ban on open containers of alcohol in vehicles.
The state is one of only 14 nationwide that allows passengers to drink; last year, that distinction pulled 3 percent, or about $12 million, out of the highway construction budget and put it to other uses.
The federal government mandated in 2001 that states either pass open container laws or spend a percentage of federal highway dollars on public safety projects such as installing cables to prevent crossover accidents and drunken driving checkpoints.

3/31/04-SB1717, sponsored by Sen. Jim Bryson, R-Franklin, would prohibit anyone in a vehicle from having an open container of alcohol.
Current state law prohibits only the driver from having an open container.
The bill is in the Senate Finance Committee. For bill status, call (615) 741-3511.