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House bill would require signs: 'Pregnancy and alcohol do not mix'

Detroit Free Press - 3/13/2019

March 13-- Mar. 13--LANSING -- While the warnings have been well-known for years that pregnant women shouldn't drink alcohol, the Michigan House of Representatives wants to reiterate the point in a big way.

On a vote of 100-10, the House voted Tuesday to require businesses that serve alcohol to prominently hang signs that warn of the dangers of drinking while pregnant. According to a House Fiscal Agency analysis of the bill, 19,300 businesses would be required to display the signs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about one in 10 pregnant women reported using alcohol in 2015.

The signs would have to contain the message: "Pregnancy and alcohol do not mix. Drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy can cause birth defects." The state Liquor Control Commission already provides signs to establishments that say alcohol cannot be sold or served to anyone under the age of 21. The pregnancy message will be added to that sign.

Restaurants could add the message to menus, rather than hanging a sign in the business.

The goal of the bill is to lower the risk of babies being born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The bill -- HB 4112 -- now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.

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