Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, establishes the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for the regulation of licenses or the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages within the state. Existing law prescribes various penalties for violations of the act, including that every person who sells, furnishes, gives, or causes to be sold, furnished, or given away any alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill would prohibit an on- or off-sale licensee that sells an alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age from being subject to any penalty under the act if the licensee utilizes an active age verification software or an age verification device to establish the age of a purchaser of alcoholic beverages and the software or device fails to identify a false identification card.