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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76473</law_id><section_number>4.1-309</section_number><catch_line>Drinking or possessing alcoholic beverages in or on public school grounds; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-278.9</reference><reference>4.1-128</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="4.1">Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Alcoholic Beverage Control Act</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Prohibited Practices; Penalties; Procedural Matters</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Prohibited Practices Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No person shall possess or drink any alcoholic beverage in or upon the grounds of any public elementary or secondary school during school hours or school or student activities. <a id="paragraph-274506" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-309/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In addition, no person shall drink and no organization shall serve any alcoholic beverage in or upon the grounds of any public elementary or secondary school after school hours or school or student activities, except for religious congregations using <span class="dictionary">wine</span> for sacramental purposes only. <a id="paragraph-274507" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-309/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-274508" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-309/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> This section shall not prohibit any person from possessing or drinking <span class="dictionary">alcoholic beverages</span> or any organization from serving <span class="dictionary">alcoholic beverages</span> in areas approved by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> at a <span class="dictionary">performing arts facility</span>, provided the organization operating the <span class="dictionary">performing arts facility</span> or its lessee has a license granted by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. <a id="paragraph-274509" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/4.1-309/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1954, c. 651, &#xA7; 4-78.1; 1982, c. 288; 1991, c. 710; 1993, c. 866; 1994, c. 844; 1997, cc. 784, 837; 2007, c. 813; 2024, cc. 111, 255, 619, 622, 627.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
