South Carolina General Assembly
116th Session, 2005-2006

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Bill 3182


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A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-8920, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE UNLAWFUL PURCHASE OR POSSESSION OF BEER, ALE, WINE, MALT, OR OTHER FERMENTED BEVERAGE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE TO ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE SUCH A BEVERAGE AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE ACTING UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-8925, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE UNLAWFUL PURCHASE OR POSSESSION OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE TO ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS AND TO PROVIDE THAT THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE ACTING UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 20-7-8920 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 1 of 1999, is further amended to read:

"Section 20-7-8920.    (A)    It is unlawful for a person under the age of twenty-one to purchase, attempt to purchase, or knowingly possess beer, ale, porter, wine, or other similar malt or fermented beverage. Possession is prima facie evidence that it was knowingly possessed. A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars.

(B)    Persons eighteen years of age and over lawfully employed to serve or remove beer, wine, or alcoholic beverages in establishments licensed to sell these beverages are not considered to be in unlawful possession of the beverages during the course and scope of their duties as an employee. The provisions of this subsection do not affect the requirement that a bartender must be at least twenty-one years of age.

(C)    This section does not apply to any employee lawfully engaged in the sale or delivery of these beverages in an unopened container.

(D)    The provisions of this section do not apply to a student who:

(1)    is eighteen years of age or older;

(2)    is enrolled in an accredited college or university and a student in a culinary course which has been approved through review by the State Commission on Higher Education;

(3)    is required to taste, but not consume or imbibe, any beer, ale, porter, wine, or other similar malt or fermented beverage as part of the required curriculum; and

(4)    tastes a beverage pursuant to item (3) only for instructional purposes during classes that are part of the curriculum of the accredited college or university.

The beverage must at all times remain in the possession and control of an authorized instructor of the college or university who must be twenty-one years of age or older. Nothing in this subsection shall may be construed to allow a student under the age of twenty-one to receive any beer, ale, porter, wine, or other similar malt or fermented beverage unless the beverage is delivered as part of the student's required curriculum and the beverage is used only for instructional purposes during classes conducted pursuant to the curriculum.

(E)    This section does not apply to a person under the age of twenty-one acting under the direct supervision of a law enforcement agency conducting a test of an establishment's compliance with alcohol and beverage control laws. The law enforcement agency involved must obtain parental consent before a person under the age of twenty-one may participate in the test."

SECTION    2.    Section 20-7-8925 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 1 of 1999, is further amended to read:

"Section 20-7-8925.    (A)    It is unlawful for a person under the age of twenty-one to purchase, attempt to purchase, or knowingly possess alcoholic liquors. Possession is prima facie evidence that it was knowingly possessed. It is also unlawful for a person to falsely represent his age for the purpose of procuring alcoholic liquors.

(B)    A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or must be imprisoned for not more than thirty days.

(C)    The provisions of this section do not apply to a student who:

(1)    is eighteen years of age or older;

(2)    is enrolled in an accredited college or university and a student in a culinary course which has been approved through review by the State Commission on Higher Education;

(3)    is required to taste, but not consume or imbibe, any alcoholic liquor as part of the required curriculum; and

(4)    tastes the liquor pursuant to item (3) only for instructional purposes during classes that are part of the curriculum of the accredited college or university.

The liquor must at all times remain in the possession and control of an authorized instructor of the college or university who must be twenty-one years of age or older. Nothing in this subsection shall may be construed to allow a student under the age of twenty-one to receive any alcoholic liquor unless the liquor is delivered as part of the student's required curriculum, and the liquor is used only for instructional purposes during classes conducted pursuant to the curriculum.

(D)    This section does not apply to a person under the age of twenty-one acting under the direct supervision of a law enforcement agency conducting a test of an establishment's compliance with alcohol and beverage control laws. The law enforcement agency involved must obtain parental consent before a person under the age of twenty-one may participate in the test."

SECTION    3.    The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.

SECTION    4.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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