Adults allowing parties where minors are allowed to drink could be fined under an ordinance that becomes effective Saturday.

The “social hosting” ordinance was unanimously approved by the City Council at its meeting Monday night.

The new law isn’t so much aimed at parents as it is the “20-somethings” who host drinking parties for minors, said Lindsey Roberts, prevention specialist with the John Crow IV Memorial Foundation and the Muskogee County Area Prevention Resource Center.

Because of Muskogee’s proximity to colleges and the number of college commuters in the city, house parties where minors are allowed to drink are frequently held, Roberts said.

The new social hosting ordinance penalizes any adults who serve or provide alcohol to minors or host a party where it’s taking place, Roberts said.

“The state law is that you can be penalized for hosting if someone is injured or dies,” she said. “This takes away the death and injury part of it on a local level and makes it to where you don’t have to actually buy the beer for them or buy the alcohol for them. (To be in violation,) you just have to give them a place to have it and know that it is going on.”

Interim City Attorney Roy Tucker said he will recommend to municipal court officials that the fine for violation of the ordinance be set at $500.

In addition, the ordinance allows the city to seek recovery of the cost of having police and other emergency personnel enforce the law and for any damage to property or equipment that is incurred with the process. Tucker said those damages would have to be recovered through district court.

The ordinance includes, beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages.

It applies to any party where even one minor is consuming alcohol. It does not apply to a child drinking with his or her parents in their home, so long as the child does not leave the premises while intoxicated.

The ordinance was sought for Muskogee by a group of teens in the local RU21? coalition, which includes students from Muskogee, Hilldale and Fort Gibson high schools, Roberts said.

She hopes the state will adopt similar legislation next year.