LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Problem
Underage young people in Minnesota can easily purchase alcohol from bars, restaurants, liquor, and convenience stores. Law enforcement, licensing officials, and community groups in Minnesota have found that about half of all licensed establishments sell alcohol to young people.

 

WHAT ARE COMPLIANCE CHECKS?

Compliance checks identify alcohol establishments that sell alcohol to underage youth. Under the supervision of law enforcement or other responsible adults, underage youth attempt to buy alcohol. Fines are given to establishments that fail compliance checks.

Communities such as Sherburne County, Minneapolis, St. Cloud, Willmar, Austin-Mower County, Roseville, and Itasca County that have conducted multiple waves of compliance checks have seen dramatic reductions in the number of establishments that sell to young people. (Contact AAT at 651-644-4655 or <AAT@winternet.com> for more information on compliance checks).

So, what has AAT done?

• Worked with the Minneapolis Departmentof Health to reduce youth access to alcohol.
• Worked with the City of St. Paul to develop a comprehensive plan to reduce youth access to alcohol including compliance checks.
• Created an electronic alert network of over 300 people.
• Increased media coverage of underage alcohol use.
• Worked to pass legislation to allow local, county, state health department, post-secondary institutions and community groups to use underage persons to do compliance checks for research and educational purposes.

 

HEADWATERS GRANT

The Headwaters Fund awarded AAT a Special Opportunity Grant to assist with our Organizational Development. With the help of the Minnesota Assistance Project (MAP), we were able to work with a consultant on our long-term, strategic plan. We are working towards a structure that allows us to advocate for statewide policy change through a network of citizens representing all of Minnesota. In the next year, we will be submitting additional grants to secure a staff person and office space.

If you like to assist with future grant writing or fundraising for AAT, please contact Jaime Martinez at 651-644-4655.

AAT’S SPEAKERS’ BUREAU

Is your organization concerned about teenage traffic crashes, suicides, teen pregnancies, vandalism and violence? Concerned about underage drinking and how to reduce it? Then invite a speaker to present on:

• Problems related to underage drinking.
• Ways to reduce youth access to alcohol.
• Effective community policies.How your organization can help reduce underage drinking.

AAT has a speakers bureau. Presenters are available to talk with: parent groups, youth organizations, civic groups, teacher associations, community coalitions, faith community, chemical dependency groups, MADD chapters, and your organization.

Please call the AAT Speakers’ Bureau at 651-645-1334 to schedule a presentation for your organization. Cost of lodging required if overnight stay is necessary.

 

JOIN AAT

There are many ways to participate!

1. Get your name on the e-mail alert system by sending us an e-mail at <AAT@winternet.com>
2. Join one of our work groups: Policy, Fundraising or Media Advocacy committee
3. Send your name and address to P.O. Box 581881, Minneapolis, MN 55458-1881Call us at
   651-644-4655

We need members to educate others in their community, educate their legislators, visit legislators, write letters or call legislators, or to invite an AAT member to do a presentation in their community, and more!

AAT would like to thank those people who voluntarily paid membership dues or made contributions in 1998. As an all volunteer organization, we rely entirely on individual contributions to make our advocacy work possible. Without the support of concerned citizens like you, activities such as this newsletter are not possible. We are a young organization and have many needs for our limited resources.

In addition to your contributions, during this past year we have been successful (through the efforts of several dedicated board members!) in obtaining two grants. The first one, from Minnesota Join Together, was a $5,000 grant to create the AAT Speakers’ Bureau. This grant enabled creative AAT members to develop an informative, entertaining, and easy-to-use slide show that explains the complex issues related to underage access to alcohol and possible solutions. AAT also printed its first brochure with these funds. The Speakers’ Bureau will assist us in expanding our membership base throughout the state.

The second grant was from the Headwaters Foundation to assist with our organizational development. With the help of the Minnesota Assistance Project (MAP), we worked with a consultant on our long-term strategic plan. This session was a valuable part of AAT’s growth. A key component of this strategic plan is to develop a long-term fund-raising plan for AAT. We recently submitted a second grant proposal to the Headwaters Foundation and we are anticipating the results soon.

This legislative session promises to be a tough one, with some lawmakers advocating for reducing the minimum drinking age! We will need everyone’s help to combat the alcohol industry’s efforts.

 

Please consider donating to AAT. Print the form below and send your checks to: