What is Social Host?
Social host liability is an important legal concept that all adults and parents should be aware of, especially when hosting gatherings where alcohol is present. Essentially, if you serve or provide alcohol at your home or another venue, you could be held legally responsible for any harm that results from underage drinking. This includes accidents, injuries, or other consequences that may occur after the event. The purpose of social host laws is to prevent underage drinking by holding adults accountable for irresponsibly serving alcohol to minors. It’s crucial for any host to understand these laws to ensure the safety of all guests and to avoid potential legal consequences.
Local and State Laws
WY Statute – Title 6 Crimes & Offenses
6-4-406. Permitting house parties where minors are present; exceptions; penalties.
(a) No person who owns, rents, leases, subleases or has control of any residence or premises shall allow a house party to take place at the residence or premises if any alcoholic liquor, malt beverage or drug prohibited by law to be possessed by a minor is possessed or consumed at the residence or premises by any minor and the person knowingly permitted the residence or premises to be used for that purpose.
(b) The provision of this section shall not apply to: (i) The furnishing or giving of any alcoholic liquor or malt beverage by an adult to any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years, if the recipient is the legal ward, medical patient or member of the immediate family of the adult furnishing or giving the alcoholic liquor or malt beverage; (ii) The consumption, use or possession of a drug pursuant to a lawful prescription issued for the drug; (iii) Religious observance or prescribed medical treatment; (iv) The possession of alcoholic liquor, malt beverage or lawfully prescribed drugs incidental to lawful employment.
(c) Any person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), or both.
(d) For purposes of this section: (i) “Minor” means as defined in W.S. 8-1-102(a)(iii)(B); (ii) “Premises” includes, but is not limited to, a rented, leased or donated hotel or motel room, a manufactured home or any other public or private facility that is not licensed under chapter 4, title 12 of the Wyoming statutes.