laws

Office of

Wellness Promotion

Laws and Ordinances

Town Ordinances

Each town in Connecticut passes ordinances designed to set some standards for what people can and can't do while living in the town. Most communities have policies about quiet hours, noise pollution, parties, even how many cars can be parked on a property at a given time. Thus, while many students choose to live off campus to feel more autonomous, it is important to understand that there are still many regulations of which you should become familiar. A simple, online search for the town's municipal website will usually lead you to the right information.

Even though Eastern students live in many towns around the region, the Town of Windham naturally has a very high concentration of students living right around the campus. If you are living in Willimantic/Windham, please go to the Windham Code Enforcement website to learn what you need to know.

The Social Host Law

In 2006, the State of Connecticut passed a law regarding private house parties. Previously, state law made it illegal for a minor (anyone under 21) to drink alcohol on public property. However there was a loophole in that law and the it was not illegal for minors to drink alcohol on private property. The Social Host Law (also known as Public Act 06-112) closed this loophole. Now, it is illegal for minors to drink on private property (with a few small exceptions). More importantly, not only are the minors who drink the alcohol held accountable, but the social host (the person who put on the party) is also subject to fines and arrest for serving the minor. If you are planning to live off-campus and think you might have gatherings on your property, it is VERY important that you take the time to get to know how to protect yourself, your guests and your landlord. A write-up about the Social Host Law can be found here.