§ 3-3-23 - Furnishing to, purchase of, or possession by persons under 21 years of age of alcoholic beverages; use of false identification; proper identification; dispensing, serving, selling, or han - Georgia Statutes

O.C.G.A. 3-3-23 (2010)
3-3-23. Furnishing to, purchase of, or possession by persons under 21 years of age of alcoholic beverages; use of false identification; proper identification; dispensing, serving, selling, or handling by persons under 21 years of age in the course of employment; seller's actions upon receiving false identification

(a) Except as otherwise authorized by law:

(1) No person knowingly, directly or through another person, shall furnish, cause to be furnished, or permit any person in such person's employ to furnish any alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age;

(2) No person under 21 years of age shall purchase, attempt to purchase, or knowingly possess any alcoholic beverage;

(3) No person under 21 years of age shall misrepresent such person's age in any manner whatever for the purpose of obtaining illegally any alcoholic beverage;

(4) No person knowingly or intentionally shall act as an agent to purchase or acquire any alcoholic beverage for or on behalf of a person under 21 years of age; or

(5) No person under 21 years of age shall misrepresent his or her identity or use any false identification for the purpose of purchasing or obtaining any alcoholic beverage.

(b) The prohibitions contained in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply with respect to the sale, purchase, or possession of alcoholic beverages for consumption:

(1) For medical purposes pursuant to a prescription of a physician duly authorized to practice medicine in this state; or

(2) At a religious ceremony.

(c) The prohibitions contained in paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply with respect to the possession of alcoholic beverages for consumption by a person under 21 years of age when the parent or guardian of the person under 21 years of age gives the alcoholic beverage to the person and when possession is in the home of the parent or guardian and such parent or guardian is present.

(d) The prohibition contained in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply with respect to sale of alcoholic beverages by a person when such person has been furnished with proper identification showing that the person to whom the alcoholic beverage is sold is 21 years of age or older. For purposes of this subsection, the term "proper identification" means any document issued by a governmental agency containing a description of the person, such person's photograph, or both, and giving such person's date of birth and includes, without being limited to, a passport, military identification card, driver's license, or an identification card authorized under Code Sections 40-5-100 through 40-5-104. "Proper identification" shall not include a birth certificate and shall not include any traffic citation and complaint form.

(e) If such conduct is not otherwise prohibited pursuant to Code Section 3-3-24, nothing contained in this Code section shall be construed to prohibit any person under 21 years of age from:

(1) Dispensing, serving, selling, or handling alcoholic beverages as a part of employment in any licensed establishment;

(2) Being employed in any establishment in which alcoholic beverages are distilled or manufactured; or

(3) Taking orders for and having possession of alcoholic beverages as a part of employment in a licensed establishment.

(f) Testimony by any person under 21 years of age, when given in an administrative or judicial proceeding against another person for violation of any provision of this Code section, shall not be used in any administrative or judicial proceedings brought against such testifying person under 21 years of age.

(g) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to modify, amend, or supersede Chapter 11 of Title 15.

(h) In any case where a reasonable or prudent person could reasonably be in doubt as to whether or not the person to whom an alcoholic beverage is to be sold or otherwise furnished is actually 21 years of age or older, it shall be the duty of the person selling or otherwise furnishing such alcoholic beverage to request to see and to be furnished with proper identification as provided for in subsection (d) of this Code section in order to verify the age of such person; and the failure to make such request and verification in any case where the person to whom the alcoholic beverage is sold or otherwise furnished is less than 21 years of age may be considered by the trier of fact in determining whether the person selling or otherwise furnishing such alcoholic beverage did so knowingly.

(i) Any retailer or retail consumption dealer, or any person acting on behalf of such retailer or retail consumption dealer, who upon requesting proper identification from a person attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages from such retailer or retail consumption dealer pursuant to subsection (h) of this Code section is tendered a driver's license which indicates that such driver's license is falsified, is not the driver's license of the person presenting it, or that such person is under the age of 21 years, the person to whom said license is tendered shall be authorized to either write down the name, address, and license number or to seize and retain such driver's license and in either event shall immediately thereafter summon a law enforcement officer who shall be authorized to seize the license either at the scene or at such time as the license can be located. The procedures and rules connected with the retention of such license by the officer shall be the same as those provided for the acceptance of a driver's license as bail on arrest for traffic offenses pursuant to Code Section 17-6-11.