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Havre City Council sent a message on Monday night to those who host underage drinking: Cut it out or face the consequences.
The social host ordinance, which has been worked on and campaigned for by the Hill County Coalition for Re-thinking Drinking for the past few months, passed its second and final reading at Monday's City Council meeting.
It is now a matter of codification before the Havre Police Department will be able to charge people that organize or host gatherings where minors are consuming alcohol.
At the meeting, council member Gerry Veis said that he would vote against the ordinance and explainedwhy, after missing the meetings in April that had gotten the ordinance this far.
"We already have something on the books for the contributors, " Veis said. "I don't object to the ordinance as presented.
"We need to write specific laws. "
City Prosecutor Tammi Barkus, who has argued for the ordinance at every opportunity, continued to do so at Monday's meeting.
She explained the utility of the ordinance, based on recent experience.
At recent court dates she had to prosecute a group of 12- to 14-year-olds who had hosted a party.
In situations like that, the children will almost never tell anyone who provided the alcohol, but most will identify who organized and hosted the event.
The ordinance passed with all but Veis' vote.
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