The bill revises existing laws regarding digital identification, specifically incorporating digital versions of licenses into regulations governing the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. It amends three sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, and 16-12-104. Key changes include the requirement for sellers to accept both physical and digital versions of government-issued identification when verifying the age of customers purchasing age-restricted items. Additionally, the bill mandates that any data or metadata collected from scanning these identifications must be used solely for age verification, cannot be sold or transferred, and must be deleted within 180 days.

The amendments also clarify the responsibilities of the department overseeing marijuana licensing, ensuring that licenses are renewed annually and that the department must act on applications within specified timeframes. Notably, the bill prohibits the department from requiring consumers to provide identifying information beyond government-issued identification for age verification. It also allows for the issuance of temporary licenses to facilitate the transfer of marijuana businesses, ensuring compliance with the updated regulations.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(1): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(2): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(3): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(4): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(5): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(6): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(7): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(8): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1(9): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_1: 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_2: 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(1): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(10): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(2): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(3): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(4): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(5): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(6): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(7): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(8): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X(9): 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104
HB0249_X: 16-3-313, 16-11-305, 16-12-104