Beer keg registration signed into law

Star Tribune Beer keg registration signed into law Published Mar 15, 2002 Beginning in August, all beer kegs sold in Minnesota must be registered by liquor stores in a new effort to keep alcohol away from minors. Gov. Jesse Ventura signed a bill Wednesday Wednesday enacting the requirement, which had been sought for years by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and anti-youth-drinking groups but blocked until recently by liquor industry opposition. The law will require liquor stores to file the names and signatures of buyers of 7-gallon and larger beer kegs and label them with registration numbers, the retailer's name, address and telephone number and the date and time of purchase. Police say they often break up "kegger" parties of underage drinkers but cannot trace who provided the beer. Keg tags will discourage adults from the most common means of furnishing alcohol to minors, proponents say. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Dehler, R-St. Joseph, was approved 114 to 20 by the House last year and 60 to 0 by the Senate last Friday. -- Conrad deFiebre