In light of recent controversy surrounding a School Board member whose residence was the location of a teen drinking party last year, a drug abuse prevention coalition is pushing for the adoption of a municipal “social hosting” ordinance.

Such ordinances are seen as giving law enforcement additional tools for cracking down on teen drinking and holding parents responsible for what transpires in their homes.

Toughened rules also are seen as additional teen drinking prevention tools.

Carole Groux, director of the Fountain Hills Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, plans to address the Town Council in March and urge passage of such an ordinance.

“It is a proven effective strategy that moves us towards changing the social norms and reducing underage alcohol consumption,” Groux said.

“Not all parents and not all friends over 21 realize the dangers and short- and long-term effects of underage drinking.”

Many letter writers and others have questioned in recent weeks why School Board member Pat McNett-Green was not cited herself after 16 juveniles were cited for minor consumption violations at her home in March 2009.

Under state laws, an adult must supply a minor with alcohol to be cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor (a misdemeanor).

Often times it is difficult for law enforcement, upon arriving at the scene of an underage beer party, to determine who exactly supplied the alcohol.

With a social host ordinance in place locally, an adult could be cited if teens are drinking on property for which they are responsible, regardless of whether the adult supplied the alcohol.

“As you can see from the case with the Green family, many parents need to pay closer attention and stop enabling this behavior,” Groux said.

“A mother or father will no longer be able to get by with ‘a party happened, but I wasn’t hosting it,’ because an ordinance would stipulate that extra measures were taken to ensure that parties were not happening in their home.

“I have teen-aged kids. I know that it sometimes cramps my style to raise them. That’s life.

“I had them, it is my responsibility to raise them and protect them – sometimes from themselves.”

Town Councilwoman Cassie Hansen is involved with the substance abuse prevention coalition and sees merit in such an ordinance.

“I’m most impressed by the number of parents willing to share and openly discuss a very real problem facing our town and families,” Hansen said of coalition efforts to date.

“Local law enforcement personnel have stated that the state laws regarding underage consumption are vague and difficult to enforce.

“(This) will hopefully be a catalyst to encourage open and honest discussions and further the efforts of the coalition to address the substance abuse issues in our town.”

Sheriff’s Office Lt. Brian Jakowinicz said deputies must prove an adult “knowingly” provided alcohol to minors.

“Very often the adults will be in another part of the house, or inside versus outside, and say they did not know the minors were drinking,” he added.

“Deputies are unable to prove otherwise and are unable to cite or arrest.”

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, cities in 32 states have social-host ordinances.

In Arizona, cities like Tucson, Casa Grande, Coolidge, Eloy, Superior and Miami have such ordinances. The City of Buckeye also is looking into one.

According to the Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, adult family members and friends are common sources of alcohol for youths in gatherings on private property.

Social host laws seek to restrict youth access to alcohol in these settings.

Social host ordinances enable law enforcement to cite the individual who hosted the party, or who owns or controls the land where parties occur.

Under social host laws, these responsible individuals include parents, landowners and tenants.

Several Arizona cities have passed social host ordinances to create underage drinking laws that can be enforced without requiring proof of knowledge that underage drinking is occurring.

Ordinances can be written to target adults who fail to use reasonable precaution to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors, Groux added.

About half of the minors who drink get alcohol at a party.

“This is by far the number one place they report drinking,” Groux said. “Limiting or eliminating this access is an effective prevention measure.

“The main objective is prevention. The intention is not to start witch hunts…We all need to be working to change the norms.”