Owensboro Alcohol Ordinance

Owensboro lawmakers are looking at an ordinance that would punish parents for letting their underage kids drink alcohol. A community impact group worked on the proposal and presented it to the county attorney. He took a look and decided the proposal was worth pursuing as an ordinance. High school parties all too often include alcohol. And some high school parents are ok with that. Popular culture pokes fun like its no big deal. "Wait is there alcohol in this?--oh god no, what kind of mother to you think I am...Why do you want a little bit because if you drink Id rather you do it in the house." Daviess county attorney Claud Porter wants state laws to address this kind of "social host" scenario. That is a parent or homeowner who has people under the age of 21 drinking in their home or on their property. " What I would like for us to do is regulate and make a crime, for adults who knew or should have known there was alcohol in the house, and charge them with a misdemeanor." Sounds like a no-brainer, but heres the problem. There are already two state statutes that deal with a similar situation. "State laws supersede local ordinances they are basically one and the same, we already can charge for unlawful transaction with a minor, we enforce those state laws everyday." Porter wants the laws to be more specific. He says he thinks a social host situation is unique because the adult doesnt have to have sold the alcohol, or provided it. They just have to have known about it. But he says he wonders what he can really do: "Can we legislate something when state has already passed or attempted to pass in a similar law, how far can we go as the fiscal court in getting this going." Officer Troy Couch says hes all for increasing the punishment for parents who tolerate and condone underage drinking. But he says even if the ordinance is passed, the penalty will still be a class a misdeamenor. A class a misdemeanor for providing or selling alcohol to a minor is up to one year in jail or a thousand dollar fine. If the ordinance passes, lawmakers hope other cities and counties will follow.