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Proposal targeting underage drinkers passes Senate

Friday, June 5, 2009
By John I. Carney

State Sen. Jim Tracy says legislation he sponsored will close a loophole by making it a misdemeanor for adults to allow 18-to-20-year-olds to drink in their presence.

The bill was approved 27-0 by the Senate on Wednesday.

Tracy said he was asked to sponsor the bill in the Senate by State Rep. Joe Carr (R-Lascassas), its House sponsor. The House passed the bill last month; there are a few minor differences between the wording of the House and Senate versions, which Tracy said would easily be worked out.

It had already been a crime for adults to allow juveniles to drink, for example at a party in a home or hotel room. But adults bore no legal penalty for allowing 18, 19 or 20 year olds to drink, even though the legal drinking age is 21.

"There wasn't any penalthy for those who did that," said Tracy. He said the new bill will close the gap.

"Hopefully," he said, "it will stop some of this underage drinking."

Critics say the bill could even penalize parents sharing a beer in their home with offspring under 21, including those who had served with the military in Iraq or Afghanistan. A group of prominent college presidents called last year for reducing the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying that would allow rampant drinking among college students to be better monitored and controlled.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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"including those who had served with the military in Iraq or Afghanistan"

Funny how we can ask them to kill but not allow them to consume alcohol.

-- Posted by Juju35 on Fri, Jun 5, 2009, at 11:13 AM

I think this is ridiculous. If I'm in the presence of a 20 year-old who's drinking, am I supposed to physically try to remove the beer from their hand? Honestly, unless you're in your own home, you can't "allow" an adult to do anything.

I have never purchased alcohol for any minor, and I don't condone that at all, but I think this bill could possibly put me in the position of policing other adults. I don't think that should be my responsibilty.

I say leave the law the way it is and crack down on the existing laws, which focus on sale/distibution to minors.

By the way, if my adult son or daughter were home on leave from Iraq and wanted to drink a beer in my house, I'm pretty sure I'd fight anybody who tried to stop them. You'd just have to arrest us both, I suppose.

-- Posted by Nobody'sFool on Fri, Jun 5, 2009, at 11:25 AM

I do have a problem with this bill as well. I can understand if a parent was allowing "HIS/HER" minor in their presence to drink or even minors that are "ON THEIR PROPERTY". And I can understand an adult contributing to a minor being held responsible. But I believe holding people responsible for strangers that are around them drinking, adults or minors is absolutely wrong.

Parents are responsible for what their children do and get into. But holding adults responsible for minors drinking that they do not even know in other places than their home, or a gathering they are having is not right. Suppose people are at the park, ball game, Horse show grounds, parade, store parking lot, fishing, etc. and their are young adults that are minors around them drinking, you are going to charge the adults that are their around them for what these minors are doing? I do not think that is going to fly with alot of citizens.

-- Posted by Momof3&3step&1gran on Fri, Jun 5, 2009, at 12:29 PM

I suppose we have to go up to these people and ask them for some identification to see if they are at least 21 years old too, huh? Will be seeing more people going to the Emergency Rooms for this. Will we get paid, for being the police?

OMGoodness!

-- Posted by Momof3&3step&1gran on Fri, Jun 5, 2009, at 12:38 PM

I wish people would read this stuff before they comment. All the stuff they do up there is on the internet. Where does it say you have to physically remove something from an underage adult? It's not like you are at a restaurant and have to ask everyone around you if they are 21. Get real people do think that would really pass. It is on your property or property that you have the lawful right to the exclusive use of the property i.e. hotel room. Say your son gets back from Iraq and you have a beer with him in your living room, who is going to turn you in? But you by him alcohol and let him leave and he kills someone in a wreck- you should be held responsible.

-- Posted by dubbya :-) on Fri, Jun 5, 2009, at 1:32 PM

dubbya,

BUT, this law can be used to enter homes if there is a suspicion someone is drinking there. This law is stupid. The current laws are fine.

-- Posted by Evil Monkey on Fri, Jun 5, 2009, at 6:46 PM

Tracy, stop f-ing around with these stupid bills on the local front. Man up and start fighting the real issue, what is happening to our constitution at the federal level.

Fight Washington with taking away our state rights. The current administration is attempting to take control over all aspects of state government.

Wake up Jim.

WE have, YOU should.

Join your base or lose your base Mr. Tracy.

-- Posted by Brett Favre on Sat, Jun 6, 2009, at 12:07 AM

Just another way to bring in revenue.

-- Posted by InTheMaking2 on Sat, Jun 6, 2009, at 12:38 PM

will close a loophole by making it a misdemeanor for adults to allow 18-to-20-year-olds to drink in their presence.

dubbya :-), that saids it all.

-- Posted by Momof3&3step&1gran on Sat, Jun 6, 2009, at 1:29 PM