Teen-Age Drinking And The Law

It’s no secret that the rashness of youth and the allure of alcohol are a dangerous combination. That’s why I support the laws prohibiting alcohol purchases by and for those under 21.

The 21 Alcohol Purchase Law is saving lives. More than 26,000 lives have been saved in traffic fatalities nationwide by minimum drinking age laws.

To cut the number of traffic fatalities even more, the Legislature passed the “Zero Tolerance” Law. Under this law, if any driver under the age of 21 is stopped and they’ve had even one alcoholic drink, they’ll lose their license immediately — for at least six months.

I continue to support legislation to make our highways safer. Please feel free to contact my district office with any questions or concerns.

21 — It’s the Law

It’s been 23 years since New York State raised the drinking age to 21. Since then, the 21 Alcohol Purchase Law has had a significant impact on lowering the number of alcohol-related driving fatalities. The following provisions explain the Alcohol Purchase Law and your responsibilities under it.

Use fake I.D. — lose your license
It is illegal for anyone under 21 to possess alcohol with the intent to consume it. It’s also against the law for anyone under 21 to use fake identification to purchase alcohol. Tampering with a New York State (or any state) driver’s license can result in the loss of that license for 90 days.
Serve minors alcohol & you can be sued for their actions
Private individuals can be sued if they provide alcohol to anyone under 21 and subsequently, the minor then injures others (parents or guardians can provide alcohol to their children, but only in their home).

Businesses selling alcohol to people under 21 can be sued for injuries to third persons as a result of the minor’s actions. Their state liquor license can be suspended or revoked and they could be fined by the State Liquor Authority.
Underage employees
A person under the age of 18 employed in a grocery store may handle and deliver beer and wine products. Minors can work as cashiers when under the direct supervision of a person 18 or older.

Anyone under 18 may be employed as a dishwasher, busboy or in any capacity which requires the handling of containers that once held alcohol, if they are supervised by someone 21 or older. Alcohol may be served by a person 18 years or older.
Who enforces the law?
Enforcement of the 21 Alcohol Purchase Law is handled primarily by local police. The State Liquor Authority is responsible for taking action against licensees who violate the law.

Following an administrative hearing, the Authority may revoke, cancel or suspend a license to sell alcoholic beverages and impose a penalty against the licensee of up to a $1,000 bond.

In New York State, it has been illegal since 1985 to drink if you’re under 21. While this law has been credited with saving a number of lives, alcohol involvement in motor vehicle crashes of young drivers continues. In order to reduce the number of young drinking drivers, thereby enhancing highway safety, the Zero Tolerance Law was enacted in 1996.

Under the Zero Tolerance Law, if you’re under 21, and found to have been driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .02% — one drink — or higher, you’ll lose your license for at least six months. You will also have to pay a $125 fine and an additional $100 to get your license back. If it happens again, your license will be revoked for one year or until you turn 21, whichever is later. You will also be fined and pay additional fees to get your license back.

If you have a BAC of .07% or more, even tougher DWI/DWAI penalties will be imposed, including possible jail terms.

Law Aimed at Preventing Keg Sales To Minors

In order to curb underage drinking, the Assembly passed legislation requiring registration of beer kegs. The law requires anyone buying a keg to pay a $50 registration deposit (which is refunded when the keg is returned with the tag and within the allotted time period) and to fill out an identification tag with the name and address of the store, name of the keg buyer and a keg ID number assigned by the store owner. Persons who remove or damage a beer keg tag can be charged with a criminal offense and fined $250 to $450.