Bill > S89

This bill mandates that businesses licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages, under Chapter 138 of the General Laws, must prominently display warning signs about the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. These signs, which must be at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches with large, contrasting lettering, need to be placed in every room where alcohol is bought or consumed, as well as in public restrooms. The signs will state that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can harm the fetus, leading to birth defects, low birth weight, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a major cause of developmental disabilities. The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC), the state agency that regulates alcohol sales, will provide these signs upon request and will also furnish them to retailers who don't have them, giving those retailers 30 days to post them. Failure to comply will result in a written warning for the first offense, followed by fines of $20 to $100 for subsequent violations, with each day of non-compliance counting as a separate offense.