Goodrich – An ordinance to crack down on minors in possession of alcohol, including ‘bodily? possession, was approved Nov. 8 by the village council.
The ordinance, which is being adopted statewide, in most cases prohibits a minor from purchasing or attempting to purchase, consuming or attempting to consume, and possessing or attempting to possess alcohol.
The ordinance also makes it illegal for a minor to have a bodily alcohol content (BAC) of .02, just one-fourth of the recently-lowered .08 BAC considered illegal for Michigan drivers.
First offenders may receive fines up to $100, have to participate in substance abuse prevention or rehabilitation services, be ordered to perform community service, and have to undergo substance abuse screening at their own expense.
In addition, repeat offenders may be imprisoned.
The ordinance also provides penalties for minors using fraudulent identification to get alcohol, as well as penalties for those providing false identification to minors. Under the new ordinance, a minor refusing breath analysis is subject to civil penalties.