CA Adults Can Now be Legally Responsible for Underage Drinking
Governor Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that will add California to the states in which adults can be held legally responsible if they furnish alcohol to minors in social settings.
The bill would apply to adults who knowingly allow minors to drink alcohol in their home. They could then be held liable if the alcohol is found to be the main cause of injury or death.
A spokesman for the governor says Schwarzenegger believes those adults put both the community and minor at risk.
It already was illegal to give alcohol to minors, but the group Consumer Attorneys of California says California was one of just three states that prohibited civil lawsuits, even in cases ending with teenage deaths.
The bill will not apply to licensed alcohol vendors.
