The bill revises Montana's alcohol sales laws, particularly concerning violations related to contrived events and the responsibilities of employees or licensees. It stipulates that employees of licensees or concessionaires can only be charged with violations of the alcohol code for failing contrived events under specific circumstances. Notably, the bill introduces provisions that protect employees from penalties if the violations arise from contrived events, provided they do not exceed two failures within a three-year period. The bill also emphasizes that civil or criminal penalties can only be imposed on employees after this threshold is met.

Additionally, the bill amends existing sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to clarify the definitions and implications of contrived events. It specifies that licensees and concessionaires, including their employees, cannot be charged with violations if the conduct leading to the charge is a result of a contrived event. This change aims to ensure that penalties are applied fairly and only in cases where there is a genuine violation of the alcohol code, rather than in situations engineered by investigating authorities. Overall, the bill seeks to balance enforcement of alcohol laws with protections for employees in the industry.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-4-406, 16-6-305, 16-6-314