State Senate Rejects Proposal; Drinking Age Will Remain 20

The Massachusetts State Senate Monday rejected by a vote of 28-9 a proposal to return the Massachusetts drinking age to 18.

State Sens. John W. Olver and Robert A. Hall co-sponsored the bill to overturn the 20-year-old drinking age law implemented last April.

Olver said yesterday they proposed the bill because they felt the raised age has not decreased the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents. Accidents have instead increased since the drinking age was raised, Olver said.

"Maybe I shouldn't say the increase was caused by the raised age, but that's what it looks like," Olver said.

Richard G. McLauglin, registrar of motor vehicles, said yesterday there is no evidence of an increase in drunken driving among that age group since the drinking age was raised.

State Sen. Denis L. McKenna, a chief proponent of the higher drinking age, said yesterday it will take two or three years for the raised drinking age to have a significant effect on accident statistics. "If it hasn't showed any results in three or four years, then we can give it another hard look."