H
ouse parties have always been a part of the UW-Madison campus; however, recently proposed legislation could change that. After months of deliberation, in late January the Alcohol License Review Committee (ALRC) approved a bill that would target “nuisance” parties. Although the bill still has to be passed by city council to take effect, the bill was passed in two of the three committees it was brought to.
This Nuisance Bill is targeted at landlords, specifically absent landlords. Upon the first citation of a nuisance party, police contact the landlord. The landlord, police, city officials and tenants are then all required to meet to prevent future parties. If future parties do occur at the same location within six months of the first violation, the landlord, not the tenant, will be fined. The bill also includes a list of seventeen criteria that would qualify a party as a nuisance. This list includes things from underage drinking, blocking fire exits and selling alcohol. A violation of only one of the seventeen criteria is required for citation of a nuisance party.
Since November, the Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Committee has worked very hard to oppose to this bill. The committee met with Alderman Mike Verveer and city alcohol policy coordinator Mark Woulf in order to fully understand the bill. Myself and many other students from the committee also drafted a letter to the ALRC in December stating our opposition to the bill. Students lobbied the ALRC in January, showing up to the meeting and ensuring the student voice is represented on this legislation
Although the ALRC did approve the bill, students did still have a major victory. The Nuisance Bill had four drafts in total and student input along the way helped amend each draft. Students from ASM actually sat down with aldermen and the city alcohol policy coordinator to draft the final version of the bill.
Although not yet written into city law the bill could have profound effects on students if it were. The relationship between tenant and landlord would change. Landlords, with more at stake, would be more likely to keep a close watch on their tenants and report any possible violations they may suspect. This is especially true given the fact that most campus parties meet at least one of the seventeen criteria to deem a party a nuisance.
The Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Committee works constantly on issues that require student advocacy. If you are interested in working on this legislation, or any other city and state level issues, come to the ASM Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting, Mondays at 7 pm in 4th floor of the SAC, 333 E Campus Mall.
Rachel Lepak is a sophomore, and can be contacted at rdlepak@wisc.edu.
