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Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) Any person to whom the sale of alcoholic liquor is by law forbidden who purchases or attempts to purchase such liquor or who makes any false statement for the purpose of procuring such liquor shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars or more than five hundred dollars.
(b) Any minor who possesses any alcoholic liquor (1) on any public street or highway, or (2) in any other public or private location, shall, for a first offense, have committed an infraction and for any subsequent offense, be fined not less than two hundred dollars or more than five hundred dollars.
(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall not apply to (1) a person over age eighteen who is an employee or permit holder under section 30-90a and who possesses alcoholic liquor in the course of such person's employment or business, (2) a minor who possesses alcoholic liquor on the order of a practicing physician, or (3) a minor who possesses alcoholic liquor while accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse of the minor, who has attained the age of twenty-one. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to burden a person's exercise of religion under section 3 of article first of the Constitution of the state in violation of subsection (a) of section 52-571b.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, a minor who possesses alcohol shall not be criminally prosecuted for the commission of an offense of subsection (b) of this section when:
(1) A law enforcement officer first became aware of the minor's violation of subsection (b) of this section after the minor placed a 9-1-1 call to a law enforcement agency requesting emergency medical assistance based on the minor's reasonable belief that another individual was in need of immediate medical assistance to prevent death or serious bodily injury;
(2) The minor placing the 9-1-1 call was the first person to make the 9-1-1 call requesting immediate medical assistance to prevent the death or serious bodily injury of another individual;
(3) The minor provided his or her own full name and any other relevant information requested by the law enforcement agency during the 9-1-1 call; and
(4) The minor remained at the scene with the individual needing immediate medical assistance until a law enforcement officer and emergency medical personnel arrived, and thereafter the minor fully cooperated with the law enforcement officer and emergency medical personnel at the scene.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Connecticut General Statutes Title 30. Intoxicating Liquors § 30-89. Purchasing liquor or making false statement to procure liquor by person forbidden to purchase prohibited. Possessing liquor by minor on public street or highway or other public or private location prohibited; exceptions; when immune from prosecution - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ct/title-30-intoxicating-liquors/ct-gen-st-sect-30-89/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
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