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Bill would require beer keg registration

JEFFERSON CITY - Stopping kids from getting beer is the primary motivation cited by the sponsor of legislation to impose registration requirements on beer kegs.

Rep. Cathy Jolly, D-Kansas City, is sponsoring a bill that would require registration of kegs when sold for off-premise consumption.

"What is happening a lot of times is that people are buying kegs and letting young people having them for partying", Jolly said.

Under her proposal, retailers would have to register the sale of each keg and affix a registration seal on each keg.

"The person who gets the keg will be liable for anything that happens", Jolly said. "Since they have to sign and statement saying that they are liable, hopefully they will think twice before transfering the liquor to anyone".

A similar law has been passed in Kansas.

In opposition to Jolly's arguments, the Missouri Beer Wholesalers Association says that this legislation will not deter underage consumption.

"It changes buying habits without lessening consumption by underage individuals and possibly leads to the unintended consequence of consuming beverages with higher alcohol content or an illegal drug of low cost and easy availability", reads an official statement from the association provided by their president, Mary Strate.

According to the University of Missouri Police Department, 101 people were arrested in 2001 because of liquor law violations and another 500 were reported for disciplinary action for alcohol-related causes.