State Senator Seeks To Lighten Penalties For Underage Drinking

LANSING (WWJ) - A state senator is drafting a bill that would ease the penalties on minors caught with alcohol in Michigan.

With the big basketball game coming up Friday night in East Lansing, there could be plenty of underage drinking. But, under this pending proposal, being caught for that wouldn't be as big of a deal.

"Minors in possession; in other words, somebody with a can of beer not just gets a ticket, it's a misdemeanor, and it's starting to clog up the court system," Sen. Rich Jones (R-Grand Ledge), told WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick.

Under Jones' bill, a misdemeanor charge for first and second offense (enforced under the current law) would be replaced with a civil fine. The first MIP would be punishable with a $100 fine, the second offense would be a $200 fine — and only the third would be a misdemeanor.

In the long-term, Jones said, this will help those in the under-21 crowd avoid the stain of a criminal record.

"That misdemeanor follows that young person for the rest of their life. Whenever they go to apply for a job," Jones said.

"As a former sheriff, I take underage drinking seriously, but I don't want a student to miss out on an employment opportunity because he or she got caught with a can of beer in high school or college," he said.

Jones says  prosecutors across the state have requested this change.

The measure is likely to be introduced when state legislators return from spring break.