Undergraduate Catalogue
Massachusetts Law
Massachusetts' Operating Under the Influence statute creates a permissible inference that an individual with a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater has violated the law. For a first offense, violators are subject to a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to two and one-half years. Individuals under the age of 21 whose blood alcohol content is .02 or greater, or who refuse to consent to a blood alcohol analysis, shall lose their license for 180 days.
The following list details some of the specifics of the law in Massachusetts regarding alcoholic beverages. The law:
- Prohibits issuance of any license for the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons less than 21 years of age.
- Subjects persons who misrepresent their age or present falsified IDs to purchase alcoholic beverages to fines of $300 and loss of license.
- Prohibits persons less than 21 years of age from knowingly transporting or carrying on their person any alcoholic beverages, except in the course of formal employment. There is a fine of $50 for the first violation, and $150 for each subsequent offense. A police officer (including Campus Police) may arrest, without warrant, any person who violates this section of the law.
- Allows parents to be notified if at any court proceeding, persons are charged with serving or selling alcoholic beverages to a person under 21 years of age.
- Prescribes fines of up to $2,000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed six months for patrons of licensed premises who deliver or procure to be delivered, any alcoholic beverage to or for the use of a person he or she knows or has reason to believe is less than 21 years of age.
Students who are in violation of Massachusetts laws regarding the use of alcohol also may be subject to judicial action through the Bentley Student Judicial System.
