LETTER: <p /><p />Social Hosting Law change is better for our children

As a member of the Communities In Schools of Harvey County Drug Free Youth Coalition, I’d like to share some insight about social hosting.

The Kansas Family Partnership puts it this way:

“You may have heard the term ‘social hosting’ but were unsure of its meaning. Social hosting or unlawfully hosting is generally defined as providing and/or serving alcohol to a young person who is under the minimum legal drinking age. It can take place in a party-like atmosphere or by any adult simply providing alcohol to young people and their peers for them to drink. It can even extend to parents and homeowners who are not on the premises and/or did not provide the alcohol.

“Social host liability refers to laws that hold non-commercial individuals responsible for underage drinking events on property that they own, lease or otherwise control. You may not need to actually serve or provide alcohol to underage guests to violate these laws.

“The penalties for breaking this law include possible jail time, and the potential for criminal or civil lawsuits, as well as public humiliation for breaking the law. By violating the law, you are sending every child you know a message that can have risky consequences.”

On Wednesday, this law became more enforceable across the state.

The Drug-Free Youth Coalition supports our law officials and knows providing alcohol to a minor will not be taken lightly in Harvey County.

— Sincerely,

Eugene Kaufman,

Drug-Free Youth Coalition chairman