by KYW's Ed Kasuba
Legislation is pending in Trenton, NJ that would set up a system linking beer kegs to the people who bought them. The purpose is to cut down on underage drinking.
Assemblyman Jack Conners (D-Camden County) says when police raid an underage keg party, the minors usually scatter and there’s no way to trace where the keg came from.
Conners (right) says his bill would nab the person who bought the keg:
“I believe what happens is, the kids will approach someone and may offer five or 10 bucks to a person who is of age and ask them to go in and make a purchase for them. And they come out with a keg and I guess the kids are off on their merry way.”
This bill would require stores that rent or sell beer kegs to place tags on the cylinders with the name and address of the purchaser.
And Conners had a warning:
"If you want to continue to do this for kids, then you better be prepared to be fined and maybe even go to jail for 30 days.”
The maximum fine would be $500.
Conners says that while his bill places more responsibility on liquor store operators, the end result would be worth it:
"Whatever paperwork involved here is so little, and the results of this paperwork could probably save a life in the end. Can I prove that? No, but I believe this will save a life.”
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