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Greenwood

1420 Spring Street

Greenwood, SC 29646

864-227-1001

Edgefield

400 Church Street

Edgefield, SC 29824

803-637-4050

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504 North Mine Street

McCormick, SC 29835

864-852-3306

Abbeville

112 Whitehall Street

PO Box 921

Abbeville, SC 29620

864-366-9661

NEW ALCOHOL LAW WENT

INTO EFFECT JULY 1, 2007

Prevention of Underage Drinking and

Access To Alcohol Act of  2007

WHAT DOES IT DO?

Makes it illegal for underage youth (under age 21) to attempt to purchase alcohol

Makes it illegal for underage youth (under age 21) to consume alcohol

Raises the penalties for youth possession of beer and wine to match the penalties for possession of liquor

Adds mandatory youth intervention/education program for youth offenders

Creates parallel language in the beer/wine and liquor sales laws to have an exemption that would allow law enforcement to use the sale law (rather than transfer) for compliance checks by making it so that the youth would not need to be charged when assisting

Lengthen drivers license suspension for most alcohol-related offenses

Raises fine for selling to a youth by $100 and creates a 2^nd and subsequent offense with a higher penalty

Adds mandatory merchant education to sale law.

Makes transfer law penalties same as selling (normal transfer and within a licensed establishment)

Changes statute that says a young person loses their state-funded scholarship or grant for a year for an alcohol- or drug-related conviction from first conviction to second conviction

Requires all (any age) 2nd and subsequent DUI offenders to have an ignition interlock device placed on their vehicles

Creates a keg registration policy that would:

• Make it illegal to sell a keg w/o tagging it, having buyer complete a form, having buyer sign a statement saying they won’t give it to underage, or returning a deposit if the tag isn’t intact

• Make it illegal to remove a keg tag or have an untagged keg (penalty is up to $500 and/or up to 30 days in jail)

PENALTIES FOR UNDERAGE POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL

First offense violators: fine of $100 to $200

     *** Plus court costs - final total could be $465 ***

First offense violators: drivers license suspension for four months

Second offense and beyond: Fine/court costs (could be $465), drivers license suspension for one year, loss of state-funded scholarships and/or grants for one year

Violators must also complete a DAODAS-approved alcohol education program

     *** Minimum of eight hours ***

     *** Maximum cost: $150 ***

PENALTIES FOR THOSE WHO SELL TO YOUTH UNDER AGE 21

All offenses are misdemeanors.

First offense: $200 to $300 fine

     *** Plus court cost - final total could be over $500

Second offense: $400 to $500 fine.

     *** Plus court cost - final total could be over $1,000

All offenses: Up to 30 days in jail

All offenses: Must complete a DAODAS-approved Merchant Education program.

Cornerstone offers PREP - a DAODAS-approved Merchant Education program.

Click here for more details about the merchant education program that Cornerstone offers.