Babylon public intoxication law rescinded -- for now

A law that would have made public intoxication an arrestable offense in Babylon Town was rescinded by the town board Monday, although a revised version could be on the way.

“We are reexamining the public intoxication statute in order to clarify and modernize the code language, bring it more into line with existing statutes in neighboring town and village codes, and aid enforcement measures by the Suffolk County Police Department,” Town Attorney Joseph Wilson said in an emailed statement.

A town spokesman said that more research was needed before he could give a timeline for any further code changes.

The Babylon Town Board made it a misdemeanor to appear intoxicated in public or at cabarets and dance halls with a unanimous Nov. 7 vote, but the law had not yet been filed with the state.

The measure, which would have joined consumption and open-container laws already in place, carried a penalty of fines ranging from $250 to $1,000, or up to 90 days’ imprisonment for a first conviction, and fines of up to $5,000 for repeat offenders.

Without it, police can issue tickets but can’t make arrests for drinking in public.