Ordinance #: 0-2025- ANORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 10 OF SUBPART AOF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF ROCKDALE COUNTY REGARDING THE CONSUMPTION OR POSSESSIONOF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES BY PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE AND REGARDING THE FURNISHING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE; TO PROVIDE ANEFFECTIVE DATE; TO REPEAL CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. WHEREAS, iti is recognized that the consumption ofalcoholic beverages by persons under 21 years of age poses significant public health concerns, including but not limited to, increased risk of alcohol-related accidents, health issues, and potential for substance abuse; and WHEREAS, this ordinance seeks to ensure compliance with existing legal standards and to reinforce the community's commitment to safeguarding the health and safety of its youth by preventing underage access to and possession of alcoholic beverages; and WHEREAS, the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners deem it necessary and find that it is in the public interest to amend the Code ofOrdinances of] Rockdale County to prohibit the consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages by persons under 21 years of age and regarding the furnishing ofa alcoholic beverages to persons under 21 years of age. NOWTHEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that it is the intention ofthe Rockdale County Board of Commissioners and it hereby is ordained by the authority of same that the provisions of this Ordinance shall become and he made a part of the Code of Rockdale County, Georgia, and the sections of the code and this ordinance may be renumbered to accomplish that intention, and that Section 10-48 ofDivision I of Article II in Chapter 10 of Subpart A ofthe Code ofOrdinances of Rockdale County, Georgia, hereby is amended as follows: Section 1. Section 10-48 of the Code of Ordinances of Rockdale County, Georgia is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following text: Section 10-48. Consumption, possession, purchase, or furnishing of alcoholic beverages to a person under the age of21. a) No one under 21 years of age shall purchase, consume, or have in their possession any alcoholic beverage, except as permitted in this section. b) It shall be unlawful for any person, either directly or through another person, to sell, furnish. cause to be furnished. or permit any person in such person's employ to furnish alcoholic beverages to a person under 21 years of age. c) It shall be unlawful for any person to act as an agent to purchase or acquire alcoholic beverages for or on behalf ofa a person under 21 years of age. d) No one under 21 years ofage shall misrepresent their age in any manner whatsoever for the purpose of obtaining any alcoholic beverage. e) No one under 21 years of age shall produce, use, or present false identification for the purpose of obtaining or attempting to obtain any alcoholic beverage. f) The prohibitions contained in this section shall not apply to the consumption of or furnishing ofalcoholic beverages which are to be used for medical purposes pursuant to a prescription of a physician duly authorized to practice medicine in this state or 305 Ru2 Ordinance #: 0-2025-15 which are to be consumed and used at a religious ceremony. Section 2. All Ordinances or parts ofOrdinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. Section 3. If any section, subsection, provisions or clause of any part of this Ordinance shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional or, if the provisions of any part oft this Ordinance as applied to any particular situation or set of circumstances shall be declared invalid or unconstitutional, such invalidity shall not be construed to affect the portions of this Ordinance not SO held to be invalid, or the application of this Ordinance to other circumstances not SO held to be invalid. It is hereby declared as the intent of the Rockdale County Board ofCommissioners that this Ordinance would have been adopted in its current form without the invalid or unconstitutional provision contained therein. Section 4. Pursuant to Section 2-32(b) of the Code of Ordinances of Rockdale County, Georgia, the second reading of this Ordinance is hereby waived in order to permit this Ordinance to become effective upon its adoption by the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners. Adopted this day of 2025. Rockdale County, Georgia Board of Commissioners By: JaNice Van Ness, Chair & CEO By: Tuwanya Smith, Commissioner Post 1 Attest By: By: Jennifer Rutledge, County Clerk Dr. Doreen Williams, Commissioner Post 2 Approved as to form: By: M. Qader A. Baig, County Attorney