House Approves Tougher Penalties for Underage Drinkers - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

The North Dakota House has approved increasing the penalties for underage youth who are trying to get booze and their suppliers.

Donnell Preskey brings us the debate.

"We are one of the best run states in the country and consistently at the top of this list in binge drinking which is sickening to me," says republican Representative Joe Heilman of Fargo.

Representative Joe Heilman has worked on ways to reduce underage drinking for years..

"In 2009: underage customers accounted for 30% of all alcohol consumed in this state totaling $69 m in sales.

It's been a big struggle, because we have tried to give youth alternatives to drinking, don't seem to be working, say Heilman.

But the bill he and a majority of his House colleagues approved may be one solution.

He says it cracks down on the supply line of alcohol to youth...

"For the adult in the parking lot the offense is a class a misdemeanor, c felony 3rd offense. hope is 2nd and 3rd offenses will never happen," says republican Representative Karen Karls of Bismarck.

"We have a problem in ND we have to get serious about it and make you think twice about getting it to a minor," says Heilman.

The bill also increases the penalties for anyone caught using a fake I.D. to misrepresent their age to buy alcohol.

The first offense is a B misdemeanor, it's an A misdemeanor the second time and a class C felony for the third offense.

The bill includes mandatory minimum fines, which are as high as $1,000.

"I heard we don't want to have too stiff of a penalty, if it doesn't cause inconvenience then really isn't purpose in the penalty and law isn't effective, probably why have the problem we have now," says republican Representative Chuck Damschen of Hampden.

Representative Damschen says there's a societal acceptance of allowing young people to break the law to use alcohol.

"We can change the statistics, we got to do something," says Damschen.

The House approved the measure 61-33.

Representative Heilman says according to a recent student survey, 26% of those who drink underage get their alcohol from their parents.