Charter-party carriers of passengers: alcoholic beverages: open containers.

The Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act, with certain exceptions, prohibits a charter-party carrier of passengers from engaging in transportation services subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Commission without obtaining a specified certificate or permit, as appropriate, from the commission. The act, except as specified, requires the driver of any limousine for hire operated by a charter-party carrier of passengers (carrier) under a valid certificate or permit to comply with prescribed requirements relating to alcoholic beverages, including ascertaining whether any passenger is under the age of 21 years, reading to the passenger a statement that the consumption of any alcoholic beverage in the vehicle is unlawful, requiring such a passenger to sign the statement, and, if a minor passenger, after signing the statement, is found to be, or to have been, consuming any alcoholic beverage during the course of the ride, immediately terminating the contract of hire and returning the passenger to the point of origin. The act also subjects the carrier to specified civil penalties, based on the number of offenses, for conviction of a driver, or any officer, director, agent, or employee of the carrier, of a violation of the Vehicle Code that prohibits storage of an opened container of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle. This bill would repeal the above-described provisions concerning the responsibilities of a driver of a limousine for hire operated by a carrier relating to the consumption of alcoholic beverages by passengers under 21 years of age. The bill would instead require the charter-party carrier of passengers to ask the chartering party, as defined, to disclose at the time transportation service is prearranged or the contract of carriage is made and, upon being asked, would require the chartering party to disclose (1) if alcoholic beverages will be served by the chartering party, as defined, or be transported in the passenger compartment of the vehicle during transportation and (2) if any member of the party to be provided with transportation services will be under 21 years of age. The bill would require the charting party to designate a designee, as defined, and would impose different requirements for a designee of the chartering party and the driver of the vehicle depending upon the presence of specified circumstances. The bill would make the designee or, when present, the parent or legal guardian legally responsible for any reasonably foreseeable personal injury or property damage that is proximately caused by a violation of laws prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages by a person under 21 years of age when alcoholic beverages are consumed during the provision of transportation services under certain circumstances. The bill would make failure to comply with certain of its requirements a misdemeanor and would make any violation of its requirements by a charter-party carrier of passengers or its driver subject to civil penalties imposed by the commission. The bill, by creating a new crime, would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.