Title
Ordinance Prohibiting Social Events Involving Underage Persons Consuming Alcoholic Beverages or Illicit Drugs within the unincorporated area of Lake County.
Staff Summary
· The Lake County Sheriff, in response to a wide range of devastating consequences that result from underage drinking (traffic fatalities, sexual assault, violence and suicide), requests the passage of this social hosting ordinance as a part of a comprehensive set of strategies to reduce underage drinking parties and other gatherings.
· Today the most frequent source of alcoholic beverages for underage persons is family members, friends, adult purchasers, and parties. For high school and college students these parties are associated with heavy drinking and binge drinking.
· Most laws prohibit the furnishing of alcoholic beverages to underage persons. This ordinance targets the location where the underage drinking takes place. This law holds non-commercial individuals responsible for underage drinking events on property they own, lease or control.
· This ordinance will make it unlawful for any parent or person to knowingly host, either on premises owned or controlled by the parent or person, or at any public place, or in any conveyance, a social event where the parent or person knows, or reasonably should know, that underage persons are in possession of, or are consuming illicit drugs or alcoholic beverages.
· Anyone who violates this ordinance shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each such violation. Each twenty-four hour period on which, or during which, a violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
Body
WHEREAS: The General Assembly, pursuant to 720 ILCS 5/47-5 has empowered county boards to declare nuisances;
WHEREAS: The General Assembly has empowered county boards to abate nuisances, as they exist outside the corporate limits of a city, village, or incorporated town through local ordinance;
WHEREAS: The County Board of Lake County ...
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