In Case You Missed It: Beach Booze Ban on Spring Break

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Spring break begins this weekend in Georgia and many Gwinnett County residents will be traveling to the Florida sunshine.

But if you’re headed to Panama City Beach, Fla., and want to bring along a 12-pack (or something stronger), think again.

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office has asked sheriff’s offices all over Georgia to pass along a warning that it’s against the law to drink alcohol on local beaches during your vacation. The agency said there will be strict law enforcement.

The press release was shared by many agencies this week.

Here’s the press release:

April 1, 2015

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office issued information today on a new ordinance passed by the Bay County Commission and the Panama City Beach City Council yesterday, March 31, 2015.

Ordinance No. 15-11 prohibits the consumption of alcohol on the sandy beaches within Bay County from March 1 through April 18. Anyone found consuming alcohol on the sandy beaches will be subject to arrest.

This ordinance will take effect today, April 1, 2015, and will be strictly enforced by law enforcement.

The Bay County Commission passed an emergency ordinance that bans beach drinking on beaches in unincorporated areas through April 18, the Northwest Florida Daily News reported. The county has also urged the Panama City Beach City Council to follow its lead and do the same.

The ban comes on the heels of a shooting at a spring break party that left seven people injured, the paper pointed out.

• Read more on this story on Clearwater Patch

Commissioners also opted to extend a local ordinance that stops the sale of alcohol after 2 a.m. through April 18 and has made it illegal for anyone under 21 to enter clubs or bars unless they have military identification, My Panhandle reported.

Commissioners also intend to look at making the beach drinking ban extend from March 1 through April 18 in 2016. They’ll meet in May to discuss the prospect, WCTV reported.

— Patch Editor Sherri Lonon contributed