The Town Council of Buckeye, Arizona has passed a multilevel Social Host Ordinance with penalties that range from civil violation and a $250 fine to criminal charges and over $2,500 in various fines.
The bad news is that the race to throw away our legal rights has been won by the Way Out West Coalition in order to prevent a trumped-up crisis of underage drinking. According to Jackee Coe’s article, Buckeye’s version of the Social Host Ordinance includes “a ‘host presumption’ provision” which states that “adults who ‘knew or should have known‘ about the alcohol but didn’t take appropriate steps to prevent it will be held accountable, even if they were not home at the time.”
I’m confused as to what they would consider an adult in this situation. Would an adult be an 18 year old who lives on his/her own? What are the stipulations here? They should be more specific min their ordinances.
“Should have known”? Those are the scariest three words I’ve ever seen in legal ordinance.
No one should have to serve up to 6 month sin jail because their kids were too tricky for them
I agree, Endless. Although, “You’re under arrest” sounds mighty scary, too.