The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday night increasing the punishment for people caught using fake identification to purchase alcohol.
Until now, the penalty was “a fine of not more than $200” and/or “an appropriate amount of community service not to exceed 30 hours.”
Under the new law, offenders face up to a $1,000 fine.
Nancy Mathews of LSU’s Campus-Community Coalition for Change spoke in support of the measure at the Metro Council meeting.
“The greater the penalty, the greater the deterrence,” Mathews said to the council.
Numerous council members also spoke in favor of the legislation.
“We need to treat these offenses seriously,” said District 3 councilman Pat Culbertson. “This is a serious offense and should have a serious punishment.”
Darin Adams spoke on behalf of the Louisiana Association of Beverage Alcohol Licensees in favor of the new penalty.
“We feel there is a problem with fake IDs,” Adams said.
District 11 councilman David Boneno filed a sub-motion to attach a mandatory period of community service to the new penalty, but it failed to pass in the meeting.