Council approves social-host measure

By Sarah Stultz

"Albert Lea adults who knowingly allow three or more teenagers to drink alcohol in their residences will soon be held criminally responsible because of an ordinance passed Monday by the Albert Lea City Council..."

"The ordinance holds people criminally responsible for hosting events where underage people possess or consume alcohol. The people hosting the event can be held criminally responsible even if they did not supply the alcohol..."

"Currently in Albert Lea, a person can be charged with furnishing alcohol to an underage person and an underage person can be charged with possession or consumption of alcohol, he said. But many times when officers arrive at a party where underage people are drinking, they are unable to determine who provided the alcohol. This ordinance would allow the officers to charge the person who hosts the party..."

Full article available at http://www.albertleatribune.com/news/2008/dec/09/albert-lea-city-council...