LOCAL ORDINANCES

Warning Signs Posted at Liquor Establishments

Why require that liquor establishments post warning signs?

• Underage youth may obtain alcohol by asking someone who is over the age of 21 to buy alcohol for them.
• The general public needs to be reminded that providing alcohol to underage persons is a crime.

SUMMARY: WARNING SIGNS POSTED AT LIQUOR ESTABLISHMENTS ORDINANCE
The proposed ordinance requires that liquor stores post signs of a minimum size warning that it is illegal to purchase alcohol for persons under age 21.

Proposed Ordinance

POSTED WARNINGS REQUIRED ON
EXCLUSIVE LIQUOR ESTABLISHMENTS

Whereas, The City Council of ___________ finds that underage persons procure alcohol from adults, and that it is illegal for persons under the age of twenty-one (21) to possess, procure, or attempt to procure alcohol, and that it is also illegal for any adult to procure, sell, or otherwise supply alcohol to an underage person; and

Whereas, The City Council believes that posting warnings about the illegality of such aforementioned activity will decrease the likelihood of its occurrence and tend to increase the general welfare and health of the community; therefore the City Council enacts the following ordinance:

Section 1. Definition.
"Exclusive Liquor Store" means an establishment defined by Minnesota Statute Section 340A.101(10).

Section 2. Required Sign.
Every exclusive liquor store shall post one sign of the following type in a conspicuous location on the exterior of its premises:

1. the sign shall be at least seventeen (17) inches high and twenty-two (22) inches wide,
2. it shall display in black text on a white background with letters and numbers at least two (2) inches high the following message:

"Warning: It's against the law to purchase alcohol
for persons under age 21."

Section 3. Enforcement.
Any person who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects, refuses to comply with, or resists the enforcement of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction in any court of competent jurisdiction, shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) . Every day such violation shall continue shall be a separate offense.

This ordinance shall take effect within ___________ days.