Insko rolls out keg bill in state House

With support from the Chapel Hill Town Council, an N.C. legislator is taking the next step to establish a statewide registration system for beer kegs.

Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange, is the primary sponsor of a bill filed Monday in the House that would mandate the registration of kegs.

“The approach that this bill takes is to require a purchase-transportation permit for kegs,” she said.

The law would mandate a label on every keg sold listing the purchaser’s name, address and telephone number, as well as the location where the alcohol would be stored and consumed. The adhesive label would remain on the keg until returned to the store from which it was purchased.

The proposal is an attempt to halt the illegal use of alcohol by minors, she said. Underage drinking is a serious problem in Orange County, Insko added, noting that there have been a number of student fatalities because of alcohol-related automobile accidents.

“It wouldn’t stop teen drinking altogether, but it would be a way to address the problem we have with large parties where beer is served,” she said.

Convicted violators of the keg permit law would be charged with a class-one misdemeanor, leading to revocation of their driver’s license and a minimum mandatory fine of $500 for first-time offenders and $1,000 for each subsequent violation.

Insko and other state legislators met with the Town Council earlier this month to discuss the town’s legislative agenda, which includes support for keg registration.

Council member Jim Ward is one of the leading advocates for the proposal. He said binge drinking among high school and underage college students is a major problem, fueled in part by easy access to alcohol.

“We’re trying to reduce their access,” Ward said. “It’s not the answer, but it’s a step in the right direction to stop the problem.”

The registration of beer kegs is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the American Medical Association and locally by the Chapel Hill police chief and the superintendent of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Ward said.

“It’s great to know that our local representatives are leading in this effort,” he said.

But not all council members are on board with the proposal.

Council member Mark Kleinschmidt said he is uneasy about the proposal’s implications for privacy. “We should all be careful about requiring individuals to register for what amounts to legal activities,” he said. “It could lead to significant civil liberties concerns.”

Kleinschmidt also said some states that have adopted registration policies have encountered dilemmas with enforcement.

Still, he said, it is appropriate for elected officials to consider the measure.

“I think this is an important issue legislators should be talking about,” he said. “There is obvious interest in this, and it should be explored. The pros and cons should be weighed.”

State legislators are doing just that. A Senate bill already has been introduced by Sen. Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg — a proposal that came from a legislative request by the Charlotte City Council.

Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, said she supports some type of keg registration.

“If my town wants something, I do what my town wants me to do,” she said.

Insko said she is optimistic about the prospects of the bill after speaking with some of her colleagues in the House.

“It might take more than one year to get passed, but it will be introduced and discussed this year.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.