Antiquated California laws put us at risk. In my city, Los Angeles, we have limited mass transit options which force most of us to drive. Frequently, I encounter erratic, under the influence drivers when I am just trying to get home late at night. Our highways have a peak in alcohol related accidents immediately after the perennial "last call", as revelers hit those last shots and are rushed out of bars and clubs. Let's not kid ourselves, a large number of them go straight behind the wheel, endangering everyone. In addition, this is more than a safety issue. It also has major economic ramifications to tax payers including the cost of emergency services, and the loss of business opportunity, not to mention restrictions on jobs. With the Holidays just around the corner, this problem will once again be exacerbated, and as a teacher, I am also concerned about our young drivers who often become statistics! I did some research and found this 2003 San Francisco Board of Supervisors "resolution urging the California State Legislature to pass legislation to modernize laws related to alcohol closing hours", which evidently was unsuccessful; however, it provides data that continues to frame the problem very well. Please feel free to browse through some of the main points and support my petition. Thank you! San Francisco Board of Supervisors File No. 040057 [Urging State Law Change] Resolution urging the California State Legislature to pass legislation to modernize laws related to alcohol closing hours. WHEREAS, California law currently restricts the sale of alcohol uniformly across the state, despite the diversity of local transit availability and tourism alternatives found in the firth largest economy in the world; and, WHEREAS, Major metropolitan areas that rely upon tourism, cultural events and conventions such as Los Angels, San Francisco and San Diego operate under the same alcohol restrictions as rural and suburban areas which provide fewer late night transit alternatives for those attempting to get home safely after venues close; and, WHEREAS, Restaurants, cabarets, theatres, nightclubs, bars, music halls, taxis, hotels, airports, car rentals, travel agents, street fairs, cultural events, shops and convention centers all benefit from a thriving interest in the entertainment industry; and, WHEREAS, The state of Florida empowers local jurisdictions to regulate their own last call tie and cities like Miami and Jacksonville have set last call at 4AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of Louisiana grants its large metropolitan areas such as the City of New Orleans the power to regulate its own last call time, and the city allows bars and nightclubs to stay open for business 24 hours; and, WHEREAS, The state of Illinois allows Chicago to set its own hours, which the city has set at 4AM Monday through Saturday and 5AM on Sunday morning; and, WHEREAS, The state of New York allows New York City to hold last call until 4AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of Georgia grants the city of Atlanta the power to decide its own last call time which the city has set at 4AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of Texas allows Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas to hold last call until 4AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of Indiana allows the city of Indianapolis to hold last call until 3AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of Hawaii allows the city of Honolulu to hold last call until 4AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of Tennessee allows the cities of Memphis and Nashville to hold last call until 3AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of West Virginia allows jurisdictions to hold last call until 3:30AM; and, WHEREAS, The state of Alaska allows jurisdictions to hold last call until 5AM; and, WHEREAS, The states of Mississippi, Nevada and New Jersey allow alcohol serving establishments to remain open 24 hours a day; and, WHEREAS, Washington D.C. has set its own last call at 3AM on weekends; and, WHEREAS, The voters of Arizona will decide on a state initiative in 2004 to extend the state's last call to 3AM; and, WHEREAS, London and many other large international tourist destinations allow venues to sell alcohol 24 hours to entice global travelers; and, WHEREAS, California, despite its progressive reputation, uniformly requires all establishments statewide to hold last call at 2AM, creating a clear business disadvantage to other national and international tourist destinations; and, WHEREAS, The National Traffic Safety Administration conducted a 2001 study of traffic deaths related to alcohol; and WHEREAS, Data from this study documents that states with late last call hours had fewer alcohol related driving deaths than states with earlier closing hours; and, WHEREAS, The correlation between last call times and average percent of traffic deaths related to alcohol in this study showed a 44.5% correlation in states with 1-1:30AM last call times, 41.81% in states with 2-2:30AM last call times, 38.67% in states with 3-3:30AM last call times, 42% in states with 4AM last call times, and 41.25% in states with 24 hour call times; and, WHEREAS, Overall the correlation of alcohol related deaths was significantly higher in states with earlier last call times than later last call times and states with 3-3:30AM last call had the lowest correlation of alcohol related deaths with roughly 3% less than states which held last call at 2AM; and, WHEREAS, This data may suggest that early closing hours lead consumers to drink near the closing hour and drive sooner after drinking than if they are allowed to leave establishments at a later time of their choosing; and, WHEREAS, California entertainment businesses stand at a competitive disadvantage to other states due to inflexible regulations, Californians in the October 2003 election voiced demand to remove excessive regulations on state businesses, there is broad precedent for allowing large urban jurisdictions to set last call after 2AM, and national data suggests that states with later last call h...

Protect America's wild horses

I just learned that the former Governor of PA, Ed Rendell, is the co-chair of a group of corporate leaders trying to cut my Social Security and Medicare, along with cutting Medicaid for low income women and children. Fix the Debt, a group funded by a billionaire with a council of CEO's, is spewing misinformation about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid so that these programs get cut instead of wealthy paying their fair share of taxes. I think it is wrong for any former elected official to stand alongside corporate leaders calling for earned benefits to cut, especially a Democrat. Gov. Rendell should leave Fix the Debt immediately, and commit zero cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. http://www.fixthedebt.org/who-we-are

Please end abusive treatment of animals at factory farms

would like the fda to be held accountable for allowing genetically engineered food into our food chain & allowing it to be called natural & allowing big companies that support it , keep it hidden from the public, despite the unknown health risks & potential unwanted spreading.

open adoption records..adoptees are people with out a history

For as long as I can remember, there has been a National Tree Lighting during the holiday season in Washington DC. Year after year, I reserve hope that for once, the National Tree would actually look like a TREE and not some lit up mound with a star on top of it.

We the people of the great state of Florida support and wish to vote for the legalization of cannabis and support any taxes that may accure for personal consumption.

My issue is that a plant that has literally hundreds if not thousands of uses including recreational use for winding down,stress and anxiety management along with pain management and that it is perfectly safe for anyone to use while alcohol kills thousands is still not legal to consume or sell.

Life is hell on earth every minute for billions of animals! There are so many issues that need attention now, factory farms, shelters, puppy mills, vivisection, animal testing, hunting etc. The way people view animals need to change, why do we love dogs and cats and murder pigs, cows, chickens and anyone else we can make a profit off or.

The presidency of Barack Obama is historic not only because he is the first African-American president but more importantly he was able to get the Affordable Care Act passed, legislation that has been attempted for over 100 years.

President Obama has been the target of more disrespectful public acts than any president in recent history. Examples include the "birther" fabrication and the flaunting of racist signs at rallies. Sign a petition to congressional representatives and members of the media requesting that they behave respectfully toward the President and the office of the presidency. For a more complete background, go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/948/186/375/respect-our-president/ or to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Respect-Our-President/111837788981943