What distinguishes criminal from administrative action under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code?

• A. Criminal targets businesses; administrative targets individuals.
• B. There is no difference between the two.
• C. Criminal targets individuals; administrative targets businesses.
• D. Criminal actions are fines; administrative actions are suspensions.

Answer: (C)

The difference lies in who is being acted upon and how the sanction is enforced. Criminal actions under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code are prosecutions brought in criminal court against individuals for alcohol-related offenses, with penalties that can include fines and jail time. Administrative actions, on the other hand, are regulatory actions taken by the agency against a license holder for violations of license terms, and they usually result in civil penalties, suspensions, or license revocation rather than criminal punishment.

So the best choice captures this distinction: criminal matters target individuals, while administrative matters target businesses holding licenses. The other options misstate who is affected or the nature of the penalties.