This bill expands the age range from "underage adult' to "minor" in the offense of an owner of property knowingly allowing an underage person to consume alcohol and sets a mandatory minimum fine for convictions of offenses related to providing alcohol to minors. PRESENT LAW Under present law, it is a Class A misdemeanor: (1) For an owner, occupant, or other person having right to exclusive use of property to knowingly allow an "underage adult" (a person older than 18 but younger than 21) to consume alcohol on the property; (2) For a person to persuade, entice or send a minor to any place where alcoholic beverages or beer is sold, to buy or otherwise procure alcoholic beverages or beer in any quantity, for the use of the minor, or for the use of any other person; (3) For a person to give or buy alcoholic beverages or beer for or on behalf of any minor or to cause alcohol to be given or bought for or on behalf of any minor for any purpose; and (4) For a person to purchase an alcoholic beverage for or at the request of a person under 21 years of age. In regard to a violation of (1), (2), or (3), in addition to the authorized penalties for a Class A misdemeanor, the offender is sentenced to 100 hours of community service work. Also, the court may prepare and send an order for denial of the offender's driving privileges to the department of safety. The offender may apply to the court for a restricted driver license. In the event an offender does not possess a valid driver license, the court may increase the offender's sentence to a maximum of 200 hours of community service work. In regard to a violation of (4), an offender is punished by a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $50.00, plus the same penalties described above that are imposed for a violation of (1), (2), or (3). Upon a person's second or subsequent conviction for such offense, such person is punished by a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $1,000, plus the same penalties described above that are imposed for a violation of (1), (2), or (3).THIS BILL This bill broadens the application of offense described above in (1) to include "minors" (here meaning any person under the age of 21) instead of "underage adults." This bill also establishes a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for violations of (1), (2), and (3).

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-1-228(a), 49-1-228