The Social Host Ordinance took effect on March 1st. There will be a 90 day grace period that will consist of warnings.
The Social Host Ordinance is a tool to combat underage drinking at house parties and other teen social gatherings. It holds adults civilly liable for providing alcohol to minors and/or has the responsibility for social setting where underage drinking occurs.
The purpose of the Social Host Ordinance is to bring awareness to the issue of underage drinking in the city of San Antonio. In Texas, alcohol is the most abused substance by youth and social hosting is the number one way underage youth attain alcohol. The ordinance holds a homeowner or private property owner responsible when they supply minors with the environment to drink alcohol. By imposing fines on homeowners and/or property owners with each successive offense, the goal is to discourage underage drinking at house parties.
Start conversations about your values and expectations while your child is young. Your child will get used to sharing information and opinions with you. This will make it easier for you to continue talking as your child gets older.
The Social Host Ordinance took effect on March 1st. There will be a 90 day grace period that will consist of warnings.
Citations will begin on June 1st.
The first citation is $300. The second citation is $500. Any subsequent violations will be citations with an additional cost-recovery component for the city dispatching emergency services.
Citations for Minor in Possession, Minor in Consumption, and/or Furnishing Alcohol to Minors will still be issued along with the Social Host Civil Citation.