STATE COLLEGE — A state Senate committee is hearing testimony on the impact of alcohol-related violations on communities home to colleges or universities.

Senator Jake Corman has introduced three bills he says will help deter repeated alcohol abuse violations and help fund municipal efforts to prevent drinking offenses.

Among the proposals is an increase in the maximum fine for underage drinking and public drunkenness, and increasing the grading for repeated underage drinking violations to a misdemeanor.

State College is home to Penn State's main campus. Officials at the meeting say they support the changes with alcohol-related problems on the rise in recent years.

Officials from the college communities of West Chester and Indiana were also scheduled to testify.