City may beef up keg party law

Posted by Chad Lawhorn June 16, 2009 at 3:54 p.m.

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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bigdave (anonymous) says…

Buy a keg go to prison thats the law!!!!!
June 16, 2009 at 4:18 p.m.
zettapixel (anonymous) says…

How about a law banning thugs from robbing people at gunpoint at 2am?
June 16, 2009 at 4:29 p.m.
RogueThrill (anonymous) says…

A law that requires you to prove a negative! Awesome!
June 16, 2009 at 4:42 p.m.
laika (anonymous) says…

Sounds like a perversion of the burden of proof.
June 16, 2009 at 4:48 p.m.
RogueThrill (anonymous) says…

^^^ someone took a logic course in school.
June 16, 2009 at 5:24 p.m.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…

Hey, if you put yourself out there-
June 16, 2009 at 5:25 p.m.
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.
June 16, 2009 at 6:18 p.m.
SWGlassPit (Tristan Moody) says…

Guilty until proven innocent. How can you prove you didn't invite somebody? This is a bad idea and legally questionable.
June 16, 2009 at 7:29 p.m.
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...
June 16, 2009 at 8:15 p.m.
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.
June 16, 2009 at 8:39 p.m.
RoeDapple (anonymous) says…

Dang! I thought this was about sandwiches and beer!
June 17, 2009 at 10:27 a.m.
kusp8 (anonymous) says…

What a joke! Haha. Can I now try and prove I wasn't speeding?
June 19, 2009 at 1:14 a.m.