Code of the District of Columbia

§ 32–220. Persons selling merchandise to minor for resale or distribution to ascertain that minor wears badge; penalties; exception.

Any person who either personally or as agent of any other person, or of any firm, corporation, or company, furnishes or sells or offers for sale to any minor under 16 any article of any description to be used for the purpose of sale or distribution in any public place shall first ascertain that said minor wears the badge issued by the Board of Education in plain sight as herein provided, and if said minor has no badge, no article shall be furnished or sold to the minor. Any person who fails to comply with the foregoing provision, or who furnishes or sells or offers for sale to any minor any article of any description, with the knowledge that the minor intends to sell or distribute such article in violation of any provision of this subchapter, or after having received written notice from any officer charged with the enforcement of this subchapter that such minor is selling such article in violation of any provision of this subchapter, or any person who procures any minor to violate any provision of this subchapter shall for a 1st offense be punished by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100, or by imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and for any subsequent offense shall be punished by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $300, or by imprisonment for not less than 30 nor more than 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Whoever, having under control or custody any minor, permits or consents to the violation by such minor of any of the provisions of §§ 32-215 to 32-220 shall for a 1st offense be punished by a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $100, or by imprisonment of not less than 5 nor more than 30 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and for any subsequent offense shall be punished by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $200, or by imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 60 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the distribution or circulation, by a minor, of political literature or petitions, or such other materials, for which the minor receives no pecuniary compensation.