Bill would merge alcohol, drug control

A bill abolishing the commission that regulates the state's alcohol industry and placing it under the state's drug enforcement agency received the backing of a House committee and is on its way to the full House.

House Bill 3158, by Rep. Gus Blackwell, would eliminate the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission; most of its functions would be placed under the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, while some duties would be placed under the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

If legislators approve the bill, it would go before voters who have the final say because the ABLE Commission is a constitutional body. It was created in 1959 to enforce alcohol laws after the state repealed prohibition.

Blackwell, R-Goodwell, said his measure is an attempt to streamline government.

"We just have a multitude of agencies, boards and commissions that do similar and also identical functions and this is one that just seems to be a very compatible fit, putting alcohol regulation under an agency that already does dangerous drugs and narcotics,” he said.

Darrell Weaver, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, said he is open-minded about the proposal.

"If we're put in a position we have to do this, we'll find a way to make it work,” he said. "It's easy to do something, but how about the success we're going to have long-term?”

Keith Burt, director of the ABLE Commission, said Oklahomans would be best served with ABLE being a stand-alone agency. The agency takes seriously its three missions — laws pertaining to alcoholic beverages, charity games and youth access to tobacco.

"Our mission is No. 1 to us, but if we put our mission with anybody else, does that mission become diluted? And I think that's a possibility,” Burt said.

He questioned whether the move would streamline state government, saying a study showed it would cost about $1.3 million to place ABLE under the narcotics bureau.

A big chunk of that amount was for increased salaries — ABLE agents are paid less than drug agents — and that would be an annual cost, Burt said.

Blackwell said his bill calls for a 5 percent reduction in staff, such as secretaries and attorneys, who would be performing duplicate duties. No agents would be cut, he said.

Blackwell said ABLE agents working together with narcotics agents would result in better enforcement and a larger amount of fee collections.

Blackwell said he has heard some concerns from liquor wholesalers because they would be lumped into an agency that deals with narcotics.