(a) As used in this section, “juice bar or similar facility” means an area within a permit premises in which nonalcoholic beverages are served to minors, and “permit premises” means premises operated under a cafe permit.

(b) The holder of a cafe permit may operate a juice bar or similar facility at a permit premises if the juice bar or similar facility is limited to a room or rooms or separate area within the permit premises wherein there is no sale, consumption, dispensing or presence of alcoholic liquor.

(c) The holder of a cafe permit shall provide written notice to the chief law enforcement officer of the town in which such permit premises is located in advance of specific dates and hours of any scheduled event at which the permit premises or a portion thereof will be used to operate a juice bar or similar facility. Such notice shall be sent (1) by certified mail, or by electronic mail to the designated electronic mail address for the chief law enforcement officer, and (2) in a manner so it is received by such chief law enforcement officer not less than five days, and not more than thirty days, prior to the date of such scheduled event. The chief law enforcement officer of the town in which such permit premises is located may designate one or more law enforcement officers to attend any such scheduled event at the cost of such permit holder.

(d) Nothing in this section shall exempt the holder of a cafe permit from compliance with any other provisions of the general statutes or regulations of Connecticut state agencies concerning minors, including, but not limited to, the prohibition against the sale of alcoholic liquor to minors. The presence of alcoholic liquor or the sale or dispensing to or consumption of alcoholic liquor by a minor at a juice bar or similar facility is prohibited.

(e) A permittee or agent or employee of a permittee who operates a juice bar or similar facility at a permit premises may serve alcoholic liquor during the hours of operation of such juice bar or similar facility only to a person who is twenty-one years of age or older and who is wearing a conspicuous wristband that has been issued to the person wearing it by the permittee or agent or employee of the permittee to indicate that the permittee or agent or employee of the permittee has verified that such person is twenty-one years of age or older.

(f) Any permittee or agent or employee of a permittee convicted of a violation of any provision of this section shall (1) (A) for a first offense, be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars, (B) for a second offense, be fined not more than five thousand dollars, and (C) for a third or subsequent offense, be fined not more than ten thousand dollars, or (2) be imprisoned not more than one year for a first, second, third or subsequent offense, or (3) be both fined and imprisoned.

(May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 85; P.A. 05-91, S. 1; P.A. 14-181, S. 1.)

History: May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 effective August 15, 2002; P.A. 05-91 amended Subsec. (b) to replace provision re informing local police with provisions requiring notice to chief law enforcement officer of town in which premises is located to be in writing or by facsimile and received not later than 48 hours prior to scheduled event and to authorize the chief law enforcement officer to designate a law enforcement officer to attend the event, effective June 7, 2005; P.A. 14-181 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine “juice bar or similar facility”, define “permit premises” and designate provisions re operation of juice bar as Subsec. (b), redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and substantially amended same to add provisions re notice to be sent by certified or electronic mail to be received by chief law enforcement officer not less than 5 days, and not more than 30 days, prior to date of scheduled event, and re chief law enforcement officer may designate one or more law enforcement officers, rather than one officer, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d), added Subsec. (e) re serving of alcoholic liquor only to person 21 years of age or older who is wearing wristband issued by permittee or agent or employee of permittee, and added Subsec. (f) re penalties for first, second, third or subsequent offenses, effective July 1, 2014.

See Sec. 30-22a re cafe permit.