Laser Pointers and Ed Allen

What do laser pointers have to do with Ed Allen?  Besides the obvious uses of a laser pointer like: giving a presentation or burning off a wart when you come to his office; Ed Allen has found that laser pointers can be dangerous.  He must have learned this back in 2000, due to some interesting legislation he wrote regarding the subject.

    I have spent the last few weeks reading over every bill that Ed Allen wrote while in the senate. He sponsored or co-sponsored a number of bills during his time.  Some of these included, updating criminal code, creating stiffer penalties for killing a "seeing eye dog", eliminating sales tax for electricity sales (he floor sponsored this for Rep. Shurtliff) and other such bills.  But the one that really caught my attention was his "Unlawful Use of a Laser Pointer Bill".

To read the full legislation go to this link (See Here).

Ed Allen wisely used legislative time and tax payer money to curb a very important need in our society.  Apparently laser pointer attacks were at their highest level in the year 2000.  Law enforcement was at a loss on how to prosecute someone with a laser pointer.  Police were on guard, moving cars were at risk.  Have no fear, Ed Allen is here.  The "Unlawful Use of a Laser Pointer" bill makes it a Class C Misdemeanor to point a laser pointer at the following:

1. A moving car
   
2. A law enforcement officer, whether he/she is in uniform or not and you know it or not.
   

That is it!  Are you as excited as me?  No! Confused? I am too, what is this bill and why does it exist.  Therefore I pose the following questions: 

• Isn't it reasonable to assume that using a laser pointer improperly would be wrong?  I mean, I could stick you in the eye with a toothpick and even thought there is no law against toothpicks; I would still be in trouble.   
• Did we really need to use up important legislative time debating this?  In fact this was debated twice!  It must have been hot issue at the time.   
• How much did this cost tax payers?
• Was Ed Allen just so desperate for an issue to debate and to get his name on the records books he came up with this bill? 
• Has laser pointer attacks gone down since its passing? 
• Has creating this law scared laser pointer gangs from being formed?

My concern is if Ed Allen is elected to House District 10, is this the kind of legislation we can expect?  What we need is real representation!  We need someone who will tackle real issues affecting our community or district, not someone who is just dying to be back in the legislature.  If we can look forward to more legislative bills like the "Unlawful Use of a Laser Pointer," then I would be concerned.