The California Medical Association (CMA) today applauded the California state legislature for passing Assembly Bill 2121, a life-saving measure requiring alcohol servers and managers to complete a training course on responsible beverage service.

In 2013, alcohol-involved collisions resulted in nearly 1,100 deaths in California and more than 16,000 injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol.

”Last year, the physician community was deeply shaken when two UC San Diego medical students were killed by a drunk driver on a California freeway,” said CMA President Steve Larson, M.D., MPH. “Many of these tragedies can be avoided by giving alcohol servers the tools needed to effectively and safely intervene with an intoxicated patron. AB 2121 will make our streets safer and reduce the death toll caused by drunk driving, and we urge the governor’s support of this measure.”

CMA’s medical students took the lead in crafting AB 2121 following the deaths of their peers in Southern California. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez authored the bill, with CMA as a sponsor.

“Assemblywoman Gonzalez’s passion to protect Californians from alcohol-related tragedies has played a pivotal role in this bill’s progression,” Dr. Larson added. “We thank her for heeding the call of our members and fighting for a measure that will surely save lives. We also thank CMA medical students Nicky Herrick and Daniel Spinosa for their incredible commitment to this cause.”

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The California Medical Association represents the state's physicians with more than 41,000 members in all modes of practice and specialties. CMA is dedicated to the health of all patients in California. For more information, please visit cmadocs.org, and follow CMA on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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Bill requiring alcohol service training passes CA Legislature. @CMAdocs want to reduce drunk driving #AB2121 http://cal.md/2bSLrxr