A maximum, $500 penalty has been adopted for a “social host ordinance” approved by Tishomingo city council members to discourage private drinking parties for the underaged and teens.
The pending ordinance has been on the council agenda in recent weeks.
Patterned after codes adopted by other municipalities, the proposal makes adults responsible for knowingly allowing teens to obtain, possess or consume alcoholic beverages or arrange drinking parties for them, either in the home or on other private premises.
State law limits the penalty for violating such an ordinance to $500.
City Attorney Dustin Rowe recommended councilors set the fine at $100, saying it’s more compatible with the city’s existing code. Councilors approved the code 5-0 with the $500 fine citing “dangers inherit in underaged drinking,” a report stated.
Without an emergency clause the ordinance would not become effective for 30 days.
Councilors attached that emergency clause during a subsequent meeting held late last week, making the ordinance with the $500 fine effective immediately.
