City Council to hold hearing on tougher social host fine

The City Council is holding a public hearing Tuesday to discuss a measure that would increase the fines for anyone who violates the city’s social host law, with officials saying that tougher penalties will serve as a deterrent.

In 2006, Long Beach became the first city in New York State to pass the social host law, which prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors on private property. Currently, the penalty for an adult who violates the social host ordinance is up to $250 and 15 days in jail, subject to judicial discretion.

Now, the city is looking to increase the fine to $1,000, and up to 15 days in jail. In March, LBPD spokesman Lt. Eric Cregeen said that 47 violations had been issued since the law was approved in 2006, including several this year. Passage of the ordinance had been a goal of the Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking, a local community-based nonprofit organization focused on changing the culture around drugs and alcohol and protecting young people.

“Getting feedback from kids over the years, what we were hearing was that the fines were so low that it was totally worth having a party,” said Judi Vining, the coalition’s executive director.

Vining said that the coalition worked with its subcommittee that sets policy, which includes Police Commissioner Michael Tangney, City Council President Scott Mandel and Corporation Counsel Corey Klein, among others, to give the social host law some “teeth.”

“We have been talking about this since October, and finally came up with a recommendation that the minimum fine be brought up to $1,000,” Vining said. “We want social host to be a deterrent — when the fine goes up to $1,000, now you pull the family in, too, because it’s not pocket change anymore.”

The council will hold a public hearing on the resolution at its May 20 meeting.