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Hansen hears youths testify in support of social host bill

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, said a hearing on a bill that would allow counties to create social host ordinances was filled with young people who helped draft the bill and testified in support of it.

"It was great to see them and listen to them," said Hansen, a member of the Local Government Committee that held the hearing on House Bill 20.

Hansen said the bill, sponsored by Rep. Gordon Hendrick, R-Superior, would allow counties to pass ordinances to criminalize hosting a teen drinking party. Cities already have authority to do this.

"The main reason the counties also need the authority is because if the city passes a social host ordinance, the parties simply move out into the county," Hansen said, adding that she plans to vote for the bill.

The bill would not create the ordinances itself, but give that authorities to county governments.

The Hill County Coalition on Rethinking Drinking has come out in support of allowing counties to approve social host ordinances and is working on building support for Havre to implement such an ordinance.

Hansen said that when the Local Government Committee held the hearing Thursday, the room was full of young people from around the state along with their teachers, a few parents, a couple community counselors and some law enforcement officers.

"The kids had been working for a year on getting this bill drafted, and they were thrilled about the opportunity to participate in the process," she said.

Hansen said that about 15 of the students, from ages about 9 through 17, read testimony that their teachers had helped them write. The students began all of their testimony using the proper procedures, starting with, "Mr. Chairman, members of the committee … ."

Hansen said some of the older girls testifying said that they don't want to drink, but because parties are happening, they constantly are pressured to go out in the country and get drunk.

"But they realize that if they give in to the pressure, they'll have to ride in the car with someone to get there, and that person will probably be drunk when it is time to go home," she said.

At the end of the testimony, Hansen said, Hendrick told the students that it was no longer their bill but was now in the hands of the committee.

"It was a great civics lesson for them and for us," she said. "They put their minds and passions into it, and now we must do likewise as we deliberate it."

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, said a hearing on a bill that would allow counties to create social host ordinances was filled with young people who helped draft the bill and testified in support of it.

"It was great to see them and listen to them," said Hansen, a member of the Local Government Committee that held the hearing on House Bill 20.

Hansen said the bill, sponsored by Rep. Gordon Hendrick, R-Superior, would allow counties to pass ordinances to criminalize hosting a teen drinking party. Cities already have authority to do this.

"The main reason the counties also need the authority is because if the city passes a social host ordinance, the parties simply move out into the county," Hansen said, adding that she plans to vote for the bill.

The bill would not create the ordinances itself, but give that authorities to county governments.

The Hill County Coalition on Rethinking Drinking has come out in support of allowing counties to approve social host ordinances and is working on building support for Havre to implement such an ordinance.

Hansen said that when the Local Government Committee held the hearing Thursday, the room was full of young people from around the state along with their teachers, a few parents, a couple community counselors and some law enforcement officers.

"The kids had been working for a year on getting this bill drafted, and they were thrilled about the opportunity to participate in the process," she said.

Hansen said that about 15 of the students, from ages about 9 through 17, read testimony that their teachers had helped them write. The students began all of their testimony using the proper procedures, starting with, "Mr. Chairman, members of the committee … ."

Hansen said some of the older girls testifying said that they don't want to drink, but because parties are happening, they constantly are pressured to go out in the country and get drunk.

"But they realize that if they give in to the pressure, they'll have to ride in the car with someone to get there, and that person will probably be drunk when it is time to go home," she said.

At the end of the testimony, Hansen said, Hendrick told the students that it was no longer their bill but was now in the hands of the committee.

"It was a great civics lesson for them and for us," she said. "They put their minds and passions into it, and now we must do likewise as we deliberate it."

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, said a hearing on a bill that would allow counties to create social host ordinances was filled with young people who helped draft the bill and testified in support of it.

"It was great to see them and listen to them," said Hansen, a member of the Local Government Committee that held the hearing on House Bill 20.

Hansen said the bill, sponsored by Rep. Gordon Hendrick, R-Superior, would allow counties to pass ordinances to criminalize hosting a teen drinking party. Cities already have authority to do this.

"The main reason the counties also need the authority is because if the city passes a social host ordinance, the parties simply move out into the county," Hansen said, adding that she plans to vote for the bill.

The bill would not create the ordinances itself, but give that authorities to county governments.

The Hill County Coalition on Rethinking Drinking has come out in support of allowing counties to approve social host ordinances and is working on building support for Havre to implement such an ordinance.

Hansen said that when the Local Government Committee held the hearing Thursday, the room was full of young people from around the state along with their teachers, a few parents, a couple community counselors and some law enforcement officers.

"The kids had been working for a year on getting this bill drafted, and they were thrilled about the opportunity to participate in the process," she said.

Hansen said that about 15 of the students, from ages about 9 through 17, read testimony that their teachers had helped them write. The students began all of their testimony using the proper procedures, starting with, "Mr. Chairman, members of the committee … ."

Hansen said some of the older girls testifying said that they don't want to drink, but because parties are happening, they constantly are pressured to go out in the country and get drunk.

"But they realize that if they give in to the pressure, they'll have to ride in the car with someone to get there, and that person will probably be drunk when it is time to go home," she said.

At the end of the testimony, Hansen said, Hendrick told the students that it was no longer their bill but was now in the hands of the committee.

"It was a great civics lesson for them and for us," she said. "They put their minds and passions into it, and now we must do likewise as we deliberate it."

Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, said a hearing on a bill that would allow counties to create social host ordinances was filled with young people who helped draft the bill and testified in support of it.

"It was great to see them and listen to them," said Hansen, a member of the Local Government Committee that held the hearing on House Bill 20.

Hansen said the bill, sponsored by Rep. Gordon Hendrick, R-Superior, would allow counties to pass ordinances to criminalize hosting a teen drinking party. Cities already have authority to do this.

"The main reason the counties also need the authority is because if the city passes a social host ordinance, the parties simply move out into the county," Hansen said, adding that she plans to vote for the bill.

The bill would not create the ordinances itself, but give that authorities to county governments.

The Hill County Coalition on Rethinking Drinking has come out in support of allowing counties to approve social host ordinances and is working on building support for Havre to implement such an ordinance.

Hansen said that when the Local Government Committee held the hearing Thursday, the room was full of young people from around the state along with their teachers, a few parents, a couple community counselors and some law enforcement officers.

"The kids had been working for a year on getting this bill drafted, and they were thrilled about the opportunity to participate in the process," she said.

Hansen said that about 15 of the students, from ages about 9 through 17, read testimony that their teachers had helped them write. The students began all of their testimony using the proper procedures, starting with, "Mr. Chairman, members of the committee … ."

Hansen said some of the older girls testifying said that they don't want to drink, but because parties are happening, they constantly are pressured to go out in the country and get drunk.

"But they realize that if they give in to the pressure, they'll have to ride in the car with someone to get there, and that person will probably be drunk when it is time to go home," she said.

At the end of the testimony, Hansen said, Hendrick told the students that it was no longer their bill but was now in the hands of the committee.

"It was a great civics lesson for them and for us," she said. "They put their minds and passions into it, and now we must do likewise as we deliberate it."

 

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