MJT Accomplishments

Over the past nine years, MJT and our partners have been successful in changing Minnesota state policy to reduce youth access to alcohol. Here are three key laws that were adopted in recent years:

Keg Registration

Full text of law

In 2002, a law went into effect throughout Minnesota that requires alcohol retailers to label and record all beer keg sales. This provides a valuable investigative tool for law enforcement officials. Even more importantly, it makes adults think twice about providing keg beer to youth since the keg can now be tracked back to the purchaser.

Adult Providers – Felony Penalty

Full text of law

In 2001, the criminal penalty for an adult provider of alcohol was increased from a gross misdemeanor to a felony in certain cases.

It is a felony, punishable by fines and/or jail time, “for a person other than a licensed retailer of alcoholic beverages to sell, barter, furnish, or give alcoholic beverages to a person under 21 years of age if that person becomes intoxicated and causes or suffers death or great bodily harm."

The law was passed because of the efforts of the father of Kevin Brockway, a teen who was tragically killed in 1997 on New Year’s Eve in a tragic accident after consuming alcohol at a party.

Full text of law

Civil Cause of Action

This law expands civil liability to include cases of adult provision of alcohol to youth. It allows injured parties the right to sue the adult provider to recover their damages.

"A spouse, child, parent, guardian, employer or other person injured in person, property or means of support by an intoxicated person under 21... has for all damages sustained a right of action... against a person who is 21 years or older who:

Had control over the premises and ...knowingly or recklessly permitted consumption of alcoholic beverages by a person under 21 that caused intoxication.
Sold, bartered, furnished or gave to, or purchased for a person under 21 alcoholic beverages that caused intoxication."

Full text of law