Social Host Law:
Signed into Law Dec 8 2017- Act 126 (Statute 125.07)
The state’s social host law levies a $500 fine on adults caught allowing underage drinking, for a first offense. It applies to adults who allow underage drinking on a property they own and occupy and also applies to hotels and campgrounds.
Neighbors and concerned adults, please lookout for:
- Underage parties in fields, barns/sheds, etc.
- Youth obtaining alcohol from adults (other than parent/guardian) at parties or outside of retail establishments
- Unknown vehicles frequenting a location at all times of the day or night
- Large gatherings of cars or people at homes when parents/guardians are out of town
The Exact Statute:
Wisconsin Statutes
CHAPTER 125 ALCOHOL BEVERAGES
General Provision related to Social Host Law 125.07: (1) Alcohol beverages; restrictions relating to underage persons.
(a) Restrictions.
- No person may procure for, sell, dispense or give away any alcohol beverages to any underage person not accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or spouse who has attained the legal drinking age.
- No licensee or permittee may sell, vend, deal or traffic in alcohol beverages to or with any underage person not accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or spouse who has attained the legal drinking age.
- No adult may knowingly permit or fail to take action to prevent the illegal consumption of alcohol beverages by an underage person on property, including any premises, owned and occupied by the adult or occupied by the adult and under the adult’s control. This subdivision applies at a lodging establishment, as defined in s. 106.52 (1) (d), only if the adult has furnished payment or security for lodging. This subdivision does not apply to alcohol beverages used exclusively as part of a religious service.
- No adult may intentionally encourage or contribute to a violation of sub. (4) (a)or (b).
(b) Penalties.
- In this paragraph, “ violation” means a violation of this subsection or of a local ordinance that strictly conforms to par. (a)if the violation results in an imposition of a forfeiture or a conviction. For purposes of determining previous violations under subd. 2., the 30-month period shall be measured from the dates of violations that resulted in an imposition of a forfeiture or a conviction. For the purpose of determining whether or not a previous violation has occurred, if more than one violation occurs at the same time all those violations shall be counted as one violation.
- A person who commits a violation may be:
- Required to forfeit not more than $500 if the person has not committed a previous violation within 30 months of the violation.
- Fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or both if the person has committed a previous violation within 30 months of the violation.
- Fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 90 days or both if the person has committed 2 previous violations within 30 months of the violation.
- Fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both if the person has committed 3 or more previous violations within 30 months of the violation.