Community Corner

Now that School's Out — Southington Police Warn Against Underage Drinking


As residents continue to celebrate Thursday night's Southington High School graduation along with the arrival of summer on Saturday, the Southington Police has issued a reminder about the Connecticut Social Host Law and several other laws regarding underage drinking. 

The Social Host Law is  “An act prohibiting certain persons from allowing minors to possess alcoholic liquor in dwelling units and on private property." 

According to police, the law "Prohibits anyone who owns or controls private property, including a dwelling unit, from recklessly, or with criminal negligence, permitting anyone under age 21 to illegally possess alcohol in the unit or on the property. Existing law prohibits knowingly allowing such possession."

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"The law also requires any such person who knows that a minor possesses alcohol illegally to make reasonable efforts to stop it. The act extends liability for failure to halt possession to a person who acts recklessly or with criminal negligence."

The act increases the penalty for a violation to a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum one year imprisonment or up to a $2,000 fine.

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Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 30-89. Purchasing liquor or making false statement to procure liquor by person forbidden to purchase prohibited. Possessing liquor by minor on public street or highway or other public or private location prohibited;

 

(a) Any person to whom the sale of alcoholic liquor is by law forbidden who purchases or attempts to purchase such liquor or who makes any false statement for the purpose of procuring such liquor shall be fined not less than two hundred or more than five hundred dollars.

 

 

(b) Any minor who possesses any alcoholic liquor (1) on any public street or highway, or (2) in any other public or private location, shall, for a first offense, have committed an infraction and for any subsequent offense, be fined not less than two hundred dollars or more than five hundred dollars.

 

Minors found in possession of alcohol on a public highway or street will be facing the following penalties:

  • You will be subject to a 60-day suspension of your driver’s license.
  • If you are not a licensed driver, you will have to wait 150 day before being eligible to apply for a driver’s license.

Minors who are found possessing alcohol in any other public or private location will be facing the following penalties:

  • You will be subject to a 30-day suspension of your driver’s license.
  • If you are not a licensed driver, you will have to wait 150 day before being eligible to apply for a driver’s license.

Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-111e(a) and Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-111e(b)

Minors will be subject to a 60-day driver’s license suspension if they are found in possession of liquor in a motor vehicle.

 

Minors Using False Identification to Obtain Alcohol

If you are under the age of 21 and use a fake identification or use the id of another person to obtain alcohol, you will be subject to the following penalties:

  • You will be facing of fine ranging from $200 to $500.
  • You may be sentenced to jail for 30 days.
  • Your driver’s license may be suspended for up to 150 days.
  • If you are not a licensed driver, you will have to wait 150 day before being eligible to apply for a driver’s license.  

Minors Attempting to Purchase Alcohol

If you are under the age of 21 and make a false statement for the purpose of obtaining alcohol, you will be facing of fine ranging from $200 to $500. 

Connecticut General Statutes Section 30-89a

 

Connecticut Zero Tolerance For Minors

It is against the law for anyone who is under the age of 21 to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .02% or greater. The Connecticut zero tolerance laws make it a crime for you to have any alcohol in your system while operating a motor vehicle.  The penalties include the following:

  • First Offense—Your driver’s license will be suspended for 6 months. If your BAC is .08 or higher, the suspension will be extended for a period a year.
  • Second Offense—Your driver’s license will be suspended for 18 months.
  • Third Offense—Your driver’s license will be revoked for 4 years.

If you are arrested for a DUI while driving on a suspended license, may wind up spending a year in jail.

On their Facebook page, Southington Police said, "We ask that you celebrate safely and responsibly."



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