§ 656 - Minors misrepresenting age, procuring, possessing, or consuming liquors; first offense; civil violation
§ 656. Minors misrepresenting age, procuring, possessing, or consuming liquors; first offense; civil violation
(a) A minor 16 years of age or older shall not:
(1) falsely represent his or her age for the purpose of procuring or attempting to procure malt or vinous beverages or spirituous liquor from any licensee, state liquor agency, or other person or persons;
(2) possess malt or vinous beverages or spirituous liquor for the purpose of consumption by himself or herself or other minors, except in the regular performance of duties as an employee of a licensee licensed to sell alcoholic liquor; or
(3) consume malt or vinous beverages or spirituous liquors. A violation of this subdivision may be prosecuted in a jurisdiction where the minor has consumed malt or vinous beverages or spirituous liquors, or in a jurisdiction where the indicators of consumption are observed.
(b)(1) A law enforcement officer shall issue a notice of violation, in a form approved by the court administrator, to a person who violates this section if the person has not previously been adjudicated in violation of this section or convicted of violating section 657 of this title. The notice of violation shall require the person to provide his or her name and address, and shall explain procedure under this section, including that:
(A) the person must contact the diversion board in the county where the offense occurred within 15 days;
(B) failure to contact the diversion board within 15 days will result in the case being referred to the judicial bureau, where the person, if found liable for the violation, will be subject to a penalty of $300.00 and a 90-day suspension of the person's operator's license, and may face substantially increased insurance rates;
(C) no money should be submitted to pay any penalty until after adjudication; and
(D) the person shall notify the diversion board if the person's address changes.
(2) When a person is issued a notice of violation under subdivision (1) of this subsection, the law enforcement officer shall complete a summons and complaint for the offense and send it to the diversion board in the county where the offense occurred. The summons and complaint shall not be filed with the judicial bureau at that time.
(3) Within 15 days after receiving a notice of violation issued under subdivision (1) of this subsection, the person shall contact the diversion board in the county where the offense occurred and register for the teen alcohol safety program. If the person fails to do so, the diversion board shall file the summons and complaint with the judicial bureau for adjudication under chapter 29 of Title 4. The diversion board shall provide a copy of the summons and complaint to the law enforcement officer who issued the notice of violation, and shall provide two copies to the person charged with the violation.
(c) A person who violates this section commits a civil violation and shall be subject to a civil penalty of $300.00, and the person's operator's license and privilege to operate a motor vehicle shall be suspended for a period of 90 days. The state may obtain a violation under this section or a conviction under section 657 of this title, but not both.
(d) If a person fails to pay a penalty imposed under this section by the time ordered, the judicial bureau shall notify the commissioner of motor vehicles, who shall suspend the person's operator's license and privilege to operate a motor vehicle until payment is made.
(e) Upon adjudicating a person in violation of this section, the judicial bureau shall notify the commissioner of motor vehicles, who shall maintain a record of all such adjudications which shall be separate from the registry maintained by the department for motor vehicle driving records. The identities of persons in the registry shall only be revealed to a law enforcement officer determining whether the person has previously violated this section.
(f)(1) Upon receipt from a law enforcement officer of a summons and complaint completed under subdivision (b)(2) of this section, the diversion board shall send the person a notice to report to the diversion board. The notice to report shall provide that:
(A) The person is required to complete all conditions related to the offense imposed by the diversion board, including substance abuse screening and, if deemed appropriate following the screening, substance abuse education or substance abuse counseling, or both.
(B) If the person does not satisfactorily complete the substance abuse screening, any required substance abuse education or substance abuse counseling, or any other conditions related to the offense imposed by the diversion board, the case will be referred to the judicial bureau, where the person, if found liable for the violation, shall be assessed a penalty of $300.00, the person's driver's license will be suspended for 90 days, and the person's automobile insurance rates may increase substantially.
(C) If the person satisfactorily completes the substance abuse screening, any required substance abuse education or substance abuse counseling, and any other conditions related to the offense imposed by the diversion board, no penalty shall be imposed and the person's operator's license will not be suspended.
(2)(A) Upon being contacted by a person who has been issued a notice of violation under subdivision (b)(1) of this section, the diversion board shall register the person in the teen alcohol safety program. Pursuant to the teen alcohol safety program, the diversion board shall impose conditions on the person. The conditions imposed shall include only conditions related to the offense, and in every case shall include a condition requiring satisfactory completion of substance abuse screening and, if deemed appropriate following the screening, substance abuse education or substance abuse counseling, or both. If the screener recommends substance abuse counseling, the person shall choose a state-certified or state-licensed substance abuse counselor or substance abuse treatment provider to provide the services.
(B) Substance abuse screening required under this subsection shall be completed within 60 days after the diversion board receives a summons and complaint completed under subdivision (b)(2) of this section. The person shall complete all conditions at his or her own expense.
(3) When a person has satisfactorily completed substance abuse screening, any required substance abuse education or substance abuse counseling, and any other conditions related to the offense which the diversion board has imposed, the diversion board shall:
(A) void the summons and complaint with no penalty due; and
(B) send copies of the voided summons and complaint to the judicial bureau and to the law enforcement officer who completed them. Before sending copies of the voided summons and complaint to the judicial bureau under this subdivision, the diversion board shall redact all language containing the person's name, address, social security number or any other information which identifies the person.
(4) If a person does not satisfactorily complete substance abuse screening, any required substance abuse education or substance abuse counseling, or any other conditions related to the offense imposed by the diversion board, or if the person fails to pay the diversion board any required program fees, the diversion board shall file the summons and complaint with the judicial bureau for adjudication under chapter 29 of Title 4. The diversion board shall provide a copy of the summons and complaint to the law enforcement officer who issued the notice of violation, and shall provide two copies to the person charged with the violation.
(5) A person aggrieved by a decision of the diversion board or alcohol counselor may seek review of that decision pursuant to Rule 75 of the Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure.
(g) The state's attorney may dismiss without prejudice a violation brought under this section. (Added 1999, No. 160 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; amended 2003, No. 52, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2003.)