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Bill 504

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      504
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 Senate
Introduced Date:                  19990217
Primary Sponsor:                  Fair
All Sponsors:                     Fair
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\pt\1213dw99.doc
Residing Body:                    Senate
Current Committee:                Judiciary Committee 11 SJ
Subject:                          Alcoholic beverage retail establishments, 
                                  drinking during pregnancy causes birth 
                                  defects; Medical


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
Senate  19990217  Introduced, read first time,           11 SJ
                  referred to Committee


                             Versions of This Bill

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 61-4-75 SO AS TO REQUIRE ALL RETAILERS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, BEER AND WINE, BOTH ON AND OFF THE PREMISES TO POST, IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE, A SIGN WHICH WARNS THE PUBLIC THAT DRINKING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS, AND PROVIDE A PENALTY FOR VIOLATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 61-4-75. (A) A person having a retail liquor license, who sells liquor by the drink for consumption on or off the premises and a person who has a retail license to sell beer or wine on or off the premises shall post a sign informing the public of the effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

(B) The sign shall:

(1) contain the message:

'Pregnancy and Alcohol Do Not Mix. Drinking Alcoholic Beverages, Including Wine, Coolers, and Beer, During Pregnancy Can Cause Birth Defects'

(2) be either:

(a) a large sign, no smaller than eight and one-half inches by eleven inches in size with lettering no smaller than five-eighths of an inch in height; or

(b) a reduced sign, five by seven inches in size with lettering of the same proportion as the large sign described in item (1) of this subsection.

(3) contain a graphic depiction of the message to assist nonreaders in understanding the message. The depiction of a pregnant female shall be universal and shall not reflect a specific race or culture;

(4) be in English unless a significant number of the patrons of the retail premises use a language other than English as a primary language. In these cases, the sign must be worded in both English and the primary language or languages of the patrons; and

(5) be displayed on the premises of all licensed retail liquor premises as either a large sign at the point of entry or a reduced sized sign at points of sale.

(C) The person described in subsection (A) of this section is encouraged to also post signs of any size at places where alcoholic beverages are displayed.

(D) The holder of a retail liquor or beer and wine license must produce the sign required by this section if the sign is consistent with the standards established pursuant to this section.

(E) A person who fails to display the sign required by this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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