"Social host" laws, which allow police to enter private homes to break up underage drinking parties and impose fines on adults who allow parties to take place, are being adopted by more U.S. communities, USA Today reported Jan. 5.

Hundreds of communities have passed social-host ordinances, according to the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center, including recent actions by cities in Oklahoma, California, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. Mothers Against Drunk Driving said that 32 states have some sort of social-host law on the books, but experts say the criminal laws are rarely enforced. Civil ordinances appear to be more successful.
 
"We get reports almost daily about a new city looking at a law or about to pass one," said Stacy Saetta of the Center for the Study of Law and Enforcement Policy. "We've seen increases in the New York area, in California certainly. In Illinois, I see many communities involved in passing laws."
 
"Communities feel that state laws aren't fully equipped to deal with their local situations, so they want to go above and beyond," added MADD's Nicholas Ellinger.