STEALTH LEGISLATION ALERT: About a year ago, Dave Kopel and I wrote about a dumb and unconstitutional effort by New Orleans’ (then) U.S. Attorney and the Drug Enforcement Agency to shut down raves and other musical events by applying the federal “Crackhouse law.” That was declared unconstitutional by the federal district court in New Orleans. But now there’s a new bill in Congress, H. 3782, that’s supposedly aimed at methamphetamine labs. Only it’s really something else:

“Whoever knowingly promotes any rave, dance, music, or other entertainment event, that takes place under circumstances where a promoter knows or reasonably should know that a controlled substance will be used or distributed in violation of federal law or the law of the place where the event is held, shall be fined under Title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned for not more than nine years, or both.”

This is dumb and unconstitutional, too, but that doesn’t mean it won’t cause a lot of trouble. It’s being opposed by the Electronic Music Defense and Education Fund and by DanceSafe.

And, once again, it’s legislation under false pretenses. Hey, here’s an idea: let’s hold members of Congress to the same kinds standards of disclosure about legislation, that they want to hold Enron to with regard to accounting! Book ’em Danno.