Could the 17th time be the charm?

Every year since 1992, state Sen. Stewart Greenleaf has introduced a keg-registration bill.

This year, the proposal has gotten farther than it ever has, said Greenleaf, a Republican who represents Montgomery and Bucks counties. On Wednesday, the Senate's Law and Justice Committee sent it to the full Senate for consideration.

"We have a better chance now," Greenleaf said.

Greenleaf said he believes the bill would curtail underage and binge drinking. If police can track a keg to the purchaser, adults would be less likely to buy one and turn it over to minors, he said.

Beer trade associations have successfully battled keg-registration proposals for years, and Greenleaf's latest effort is no exception.

"I think we should stick to the real solutions: educating kids, raising awareness and enforcing some of the laws we already have on the books," said Jay D. Wiederhold, president of the Pennsylvania Beer Wholesalers Association in Harrisburg.

Senate Bill 44 would require each purchaser to complete a numbered form listing his or her name and address. The beer distributor would attach an identification tag to the keg that corresponds to the numbered form. Greenleaf's office could not provide the cost of creating this system.