Shelby's Law
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California: Shelby’s Law and Liability

Regarding liability in California, it's hard to avoid talking about Shelby's law. In 2008, Shelby Lyn Allen drank underage at a friend's house and died in a friend's bathroom. While Assembly Bill 2486 established social host liability to adults who consciously provide alcohol to minors who are subsequently injured or killed due to their drinking.  Assembly Bill 1999, also known as "Shelby's Law," grants immunity from prosecution to underage drinkers seeking medical help for themselves or their peers. The bill was passed in hopes that underage drinkers can no longer fear prosecution for drinking underage when faced with a life-or-death situation.

To learn more about liability in California, please visit our California Responsible Beverage Service page.

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Ed Friedman is the former Instructional Designer and Marketing Strategist at Serving Alcohol, a national leader in responsible alcohol training and certification for bartenders, servers, and hospitality businesses. He created educational content, managed social media marketing, and designed engaging online alcohol certificate courses to meet state compliance standards. Ed also developed Spanish alcohol training for California and Florida, expanding access to state-approved alcohol server certification. His work helped keep Serving Alcohol ranked #1 for alcohol server permits, bartender certification, and alcohol compliance training.

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