Local Lawmakers Work to Prohibit Open Parties that Provide Alcohol to Minors

Sarasota Coalition on Substance Abuse and Manatee Coalition on Substance Abuse have partnered with state legislators to try to curb underage drinking.

Sarasota State Rep. Ray Pilon filed House Bill 5, the “Open Party” bill (FS 856.015) which prohibits adults from hosting parties and providing alcohol to minors. Pilon’s bill has passed its final committee stop and seems to be headed to the floor for final approval from the full House of Representatives. 

State Sen. Bill Galvano, who represents District 26 which includes Manatee and Sarasota Counties, is expected to file the Senate companion bill within days.

Current law prohibits adults from providing alcohol to minors at a residence.  But Florida doesn’t currently prohibit adults from providing alcohol to minors at other locations, like state parks or vacant lots. The Pilon-Galvano bill strengthens the current law. 

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A 2009 Florida Substance Abuse report estimated that underage drinking costs the state more than $3 billion a year. In Florida alone, underage drinking caused 180 deaths and over 71,600 injuries in 2009. 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention estimated in 2005 that 11 percent of all the alcohol consumed in the United States was consumed by minors.