First comes Joe Biden's 2002 Rave Act. It's defeated. He gives it a fancy new name, the Illicit Anti-Drug Proliferation Act, and through a stealth attack, inserts it into the Amber Alert bill. It passes in April, 2003. Critics are charging the law amounts to musical profiling.

Although he reworked, renamed and reintroduced the legislation this year, its intent remained basically the same. He removed the mention of glow sticks, water bottles and other accouterments in the law that passed, but in arguing for the measure on the Senate floor, he again termed the items telltale signs of drug use. This time the legislation passed, incorporated into the Controlled Substance Act.

Passed in April, the law makes it possible for a promoter or building owner to be charged with a felony if anyone at an event uses or sells drugs. Politicians and federal law enforcers say it's the kind of hard-line approach needed to keep young people away from drugs.

Critics are organizing and protesting.

....The law has spurred electronic music devotees to get organized. A group called Ravers Against Opposition to Raves (ROAR) spearheaded a Sept. 6 protest on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. It attracted more than 2,000, including celebrity DJ Junior Vasquez. “We’re being vilified by people who don’t understand electronic music,” said Legba Carrefour, director of ROAR.

The law is being enforced around the country.

The law has gotten ample use .... Its first application on May 31 chilled the nightlife in Billings, Mont. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) had organized a fundraiser at a Billings Eagles Lodge. Before rock bands kicked off the event, a DEA agent presented the bar owner with a copy of the law and informed him that he could be fined $250,000 and face jail if anyone on the premises was caught with so much as a joint. The event was canceled and promoters lost money.

Busts have occurred in Missouri, Louisiana, Wisconsin and North Florida. Those raids unleashed a string of legal counterattacks by the American Civil Liberties Union.

We've been opposed to this bill since its inception. You can access all of our coverage here.