SB 441 Summary

• Prohibits selling or furnishing alcoholic liquor to minors; retail licensees and employees violating this are subject to penalties under section 909, while other persons face misdemeanor charges with fines up to $1,000 and 60 days imprisonment for first offense, or up to $2,500 and 90 days for subsequent offenses.

• Removes a provision creating a reduced civil infraction penalty (up to $100 fine) for retail employees caught through undercover operations by state police, the commission, or local police.

• Requires retail licensees to take immediate corrective action upon learning a minor is consuming alcohol on their premises; licensees cannot be charged unless they knew or should have known of the violation.

• Establishes conditions when licensees can be charged based on enforcing agency: state police or local police must enforce against the minor, the adult supplier, and the employee who made the sale; exceptions apply for undercover operations with prior prosecutor approval.

• Requires the liquor control commission to provide annual written reports to state police detailing violations by category (decoy operations, off-premises, on-premises, and repeat offenses within 3 years).