Alcoholic beverages: underage drinking.

Existing law provides that every person who sells, furnishes, gives, or causes to be sold, furnished, or given away an alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years of age, or who purchases any alcoholic beverage for, or furnishes, gives, or gives away any alcoholic beverage to, a person under 21 years of age who thereafter consumes the alcohol and then causes great bodily injury or death to himself, herself, or any other person, is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would include in the provision regarding great bodily injury or death, described above, a person who sells any alcoholic beverage to a person under 21 years of age and would provide that a violation of the prohibition is also punishable as a felony subject to specified penalties where a person knew that a person to whom an alcoholic beverage was provided was under 21 years of age. The bill would provide for an exception from felony prosecution for a licensee or employee, agent, or representative of a licensee, unless the person had actual prior knowledge that the person to whom the alcoholic beverage was provided was under 21 years of age. By creating a new crime, the bill 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.