In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to amend the Ski Resort License provisions in the Pa. Liquor Code, giving ski resorts a Minors Frequenting Exception similar to other Public Venues, such as stadiums, concert venues, convention centers, art galleries, museums, etc., for the following reasons:
- The Ski Resort License allows qualified ski resorts to license the entire resort facility to accommodate various activities (festivals, fairs, concerts, conventions, meetings, gathers, etc. may lawfully occur on the property and sell alcohol, as well skiing-related activities). Unaccompanied minors, skiing with families or alone, may present on resort property. The State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE) would be within its rights to cite a properly licensed Ski Resort if an unaccompanied minor is skiing or is elsewhere on a ski resort’s licensed property under the current statutory provision.
- Parents often drop off minors (any skier under the age of 21 years old) to ski, especially on weekends, to ski all day. The minors would be on various portions of the licensed Ski Resort property during their visit. The BLCE could cite properly licensed Ski Resorts without a change to the statute.
- High schools often bring entire busloads of high school students to school properly licensed Ski Resorts. The BLCE could cite properly licensed Ski Resorts without a change to the statute.
- Condominium owners, who own property adjacent to licensed Ski Resort property, have minor children who can ski out of their homes onto properly licensed Ski Resort property. The BLCE could cite properly licensed Ski Resorts without a change to the statute.
- Ski Resort licenses are essentially a form of Public Venue license and, like Public Venues, Ski Resorts accommodate families as groups, from which minors are often separated during the day, as well as minors unaccompanied by adults. Unless the Ski Resort license is amended, a minor skier will not be able to enter the lodges of Pennsylvania’s ski resorts to eat lunch or purchase a soft drink.
In summary, I believe the Ski Resort License provisions of the Pa. Liquor Code should be amended so that the resorts cannot be repeatedly cited by the BLCE and have their licenses suspended or revoked by the BLCE, or non-renewed by the PLCB for allowing minors to go skiing at Pennsylvania’s licensed ski resorts.
I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this important initiative.
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