[Added 11-21-00 by Ord. No. 0-30-2000]
It shall be unlawful for any person under the legal age to knowingly possess or knowingly consume an alcoholic beverage on private property without legal authority.
A. 
Any person violating the provisions of this Article shall be punished by a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.) for a first offense and three hundred fifty dollars ($350.) for any subsequent offense.
B. 
In addition to the fine authorized for this offense, the Court may suspend or postpone for six (6) months the driving privilege of a person convicted of this offense. Upon the conviction of any person and the suspension or the postponement of that person's driver's license, the Court shall forward a report to the Division of Motor Vehicles stating the first and last day of the suspension or postponement period imposed by the Court. If a person at the time of the imposition of sentence is less than seventeen (17) years of age, the period of license postponement, including a suspension or postponement of the privilege of operating a motorized bicycle, shall commence on the day the sentence is imposed and shall run for a period of six (6) months after the person reaches the age of seventeen (17) years.
C. 
If a person at the time of the imposition of a sentence has a valid driver's license issued by this State, the Court shall immediately collect the license and forward it to the Division of Motor Vehicles along with the report. If for any reason the license cannot be collected, the Court shall include in the report, the complete name, address, date of birth, eye color and sex of the person, as well as the first and last date of the license suspension period imposed by the Court.
D. 
The Court shall inform the person orally and in writing that if a person is convicted of operating a motor vehicle during the period of license suspension or postponement, the person shall be subject to the penalties set forth in R.S. 39:3-40. A person shall be required to acknowledge receipt of the written notice in writing. Failure to receive a written notice or failure to acknowledge in writing the receipt of a written notice shall not be a defense to a subsequent charge of a violation of R.S. 39:3-40.
E. 
If a person convicted under this Article is not a New Jersey resident, the Court shall suspend or postpone, as appropriate, the non-resident driving privilege of the person based on the age of the person and submit it to the Division of Motor Vehicles on the required report. The Court shall not collect the license of a non-resident convicted under this Article. Upon receipt of a report for the Court, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall notify the appropriate officials of the licensing jurisdiction of the suspension or postponement.
A. 
Nothing contained in this Article is intended, nor shall it be construed, as prohibiting an underage person from consuming or possessing an alcoholic beverage in connection with a religious observance, ceremony or rite, or consuming or possessing an alcoholic beverage in the presence of and with the permission of a parent, guardian or relative who has attained the legal age to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
B. 
As used in the preceding paragraph A, the following term shall have the meaning set forth:
GUARDIAN
Means a person who is qualified as a guardian of the underage person pursuant to testamentary or Court appointment.
RELATIVE
Means the underage person's grandparent, aunt or uncle, sibling, or any other person related by blood or affinity.
C. 
Nothing contained in this Article is intended nor shall it be construed as prohibiting possession of alcoholic beverages by any such person while actually engaged in the performance of employment by a person who is licensed under Title 33 of the Revised Statutes, or while actively engaged in the preparation of food while enrolled in a culinary arts or hotel management program at a County vocational school or post-secondary educational institution; provided, however, that this Article shall not be construed to preclude the imposition of a penalty under this Article, or N.J.S.A. 33:1-81, or any other section of law against the person who is convicted of unlawful alcoholic beverage activity on or at premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages.