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City may beef up keg party law
Hosting a keg party may soon become a much dicier proposition in Lawrence.
Lawrence city commissioners at their meeting tonight will consider beefing up a city ordinance that would allow local law enforcement to more easily charge hosts of keg parties with illegally serving underage drinkers.
Under current state law, to charge the host of a party with illegally serving a minor, local law enforcement must prove that the minor was an invited guest of the host. Proving that can be tricky.
A new ordinance, though, might help. City commissioners are being told they have the legal authority to create a local social hosting law that is tougher than the statewide law. Members of the city’s legal services staff have crafted an ordinance that would require the host to prove that any minor at the party was not an invited guest. In other words, the host would need to show some evidence that the minor was trespassing.
The ordinance also would require the host to take reasonable steps — such as checking a picture ID — if there’s a suspicion that a minor is trying to drink at a party.
The change in law has been lobbied for by the New Tradition Coalition, a local group that is working to reduce underage drinking in the community.
Commissioners meet at 6:35 p.m. at City Hall.
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16 June 2009
at 4:18 p.m.
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bigdave (Anonymous) says…
Buy a keg go to prison thats the law!!!!!
16 June 2009
at 4:29 p.m.
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zettapixel (Anonymous) says…
How about a law banning thugs from robbing people at gunpoint at 2am?
16 June 2009
at 4:42 p.m.
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RogueThrill (Anonymous) says…
A law that requires you to prove a negative! Awesome!
16 June 2009
at 4:48 p.m.
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laika (Anonymous) says…
Sounds like a perversion of the burden of proof.
16 June 2009
at 5:24 p.m.
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RogueThrill (Anonymous) says…
^^^ someone took a logic course in school.
16 June 2009
at 5:25 p.m.
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Irish (Irish Swearingen) says…
Hey, if you put yourself out there-
16 June 2009
at 6:18 p.m.
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Eride (Anonymous) says…
This is a criminal action is it not? I am pretty sure the burden of proof can't be shifted to the defendant in a criminal action.
Might want to hire some better lawyers City of Lawrence.
16 June 2009
at 7:29 p.m.
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SWGlassPit (Anonymous) says…
Guilty until proven innocent. How can you prove you didn't invite somebody? This is a bad idea and legally questionable.
16 June 2009
at 8:15 p.m.
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flyin_squirrel (Anonymous) says…
So if your teenage son's friend is invited over to your house, and drinks your booze without your knowledge, you will have to prove you didn't invite him and carded him at the door…
16 June 2009
at 8:39 p.m.
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oneeye_wilbur (Anonymous) says…
when does the host decide that the person was not invited? after they fall from a roof ? what happened to the keg registration ordinance? why doesn't Lawrence just sell a Party Permit for a mere $200 for four hours of partying from 7-11 pm after 11pm, then the price goes up to $500 for each additional hour until the police arrive for noise violations.When the police go through neighborhoods and see hundreds or even 10s and 20s of people in the yards and right of way drinking, they , the police stop and ask to see the party permit. No permit. Paddy wagon comes. Party permit, then police check IDs.
City legal staff must be bored and not have much to do nowdays, what with downtown dying and not much going on.
17 June 2009
at 10:27 a.m.
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RoeDapple (Anonymous) says…
Dang! I thought this was about sandwiches and beer!
19 June 2009
at 1:14 a.m.
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kusp8 (Anonymous) says…
What a joke! Haha. Can I now try and prove I wasn't speeding?