The new law, which takes effect Jan. 15, will allow retailers to get a refund from a brewer or vintner if they find stock that is out of date, defective or likely to spoil in the off season.
Another new law affects college students who drink. The charge of minor in possession of alcohol, which had been a misdemeanor that carried a sentence of up to 90 days in jail, becomes a civil infraction with a $100 fine.
That’s for the first offense. A young partier who doesn’t learn his lesson and is caught a second time faces a misdemeanor charge punishable by 30 days in jail and a $200 fine. A third offense would carry a sentence of up to 60 days, $500 fine and possible revocation of a driver’s license.
From 2009-2013, 38,499 people under 21 were arrested for some sort of minor in possession charge, according to Michigan State Police. Counties with college towns racked up some of the biggest numbers, including Ingham County, home of Michigan State University, with 863 citations in 2013; Washtenaw County, home to the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, with 401 citations, and Isabella County, home of Central Michigan University, with 233 citations.
“As a former police officer, I would never try to put something in a law that would encourage young people to drink. But when college students go out to drink, they don’t think about committing a misdemeanor,” said State Sen. Rick Jones (R), sponsor of the package of bills. “That misdemeanor follows them for life and could prevent them from getting a job.
“This gives young people between the ages of 17 to 20 one chance to make a mistake and they will have a civil infraction, not a criminal history.”