With the recent passing of AB 2486, party hosts will have to think twice before supplying anyone under the age of 21 with alcohol.
The new law, which is also known as the Teen Alcohol Safety Act of 2010, will ensure that any adult over the age of 21 who provides alcohol to a minor can be held accountable if any alcohol-related injuries or deaths occur on their premises.
“I think parents should be responsible,” sociology professor Kell Stone said via e-mail. “The developing brain of the adolescent should not be influenced by mind-altering substances.”
Authored by Assembly Member Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, AB 2486 passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on a unanimous vote and was sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk and signed this summer.
The bill, which was sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is not only focusing on adults to make responsible decisions on who they serve alcohol to, but it also serves as a reminder that anyone who violates this law can be civilly liable in a court of law if any alcohol related injuries arise.
“I think this is a great idea because adults have to be held responsible for what they do, they should be discouraging minors, not providing alcohol for them,” Tauheed, English major, said.
According to the MADD organization “a social host refers to any adult who hosts parties where any alcohol is served on property they control.”
Although it has always been illegal to supply a minor with alcohol in California, a law holding “social hosts” responsible in case of an accident was non-existent in this state until now.
Pushing for this new bill to happen were the parents of 17-years-old Ashley Redding who died of alcohol poisoning at a friends house party.
Even though the friend’s parents were present in the house, they failed to supervise the activities occurring on their property. Attempting to prosecute the parents, the Redding’s soon discovered California’s laws would prohibit that to happen.
“I don’t agree with this bill, minors should be held accountable for their own actions, not the adults,” Maeghan, undecided major said. “They shouldn’t hold the adults responsible if there’s an accident, the adults didn’t get into the accident.”
With teenage drinking on the rise, this bill is intended to reduce underage drinking.
However, anyone who is willing to prosecute any adult will have to show proof in a court of law that the accident or injury occurred because of his or her negligence at the party.
“As with any new law, some people immediately change their behavior, while others will completely disregard it,” Stone said. “From a sociological perspective, I believe the new law will keep more children (and others on the roadways) safe from terrible accidents that mame and claim lives.”