Lane County Commissioners are looking for new ways to discourage underage drinking—and prevent deaths from drunk driving. They’re considering “civil enforcement” measures to supplement the criminal justice system.

A High School student from Blue River was killed two years ago when he got in a car with other teens who’d been drinking. They’d been at a party where parents allowed drinking. The victim’s mother and her neighbors want commissioners to pass a “social hosting ordinance” in Lane County. Commission Chair Pete Sorenson says the parents are already liable under Oregon criminal law. Under the ordinance, they could lose their house.

Sorenson: “And that is a very big penalty. It’s not a criminal penalty. They don’t get a court-appointed lawyer for that. We don’t arrest them. We don’t have the money to do a lot of those things, but we might have the resources to actually pursue a civil social host liability.”

Commissioners will re-visit the topic in two weeks. Sorenson says a number of cities and counties in Oregon have social hosting ordinances, he wants to find out which have been most effective. Commissioners are also considering confiscating the cars of repeat drunk drivers.