Anyone who produces a vertical driver's license for age verification can no longer purchase alcohol in Arizona, regardless of whether the holder is 21. Senate Bill 1397, passed during this year's legislative session and signed by the governor in late April, amends state statute to say identification issued to a person when they are younger than 21 is no longer acceptable for alcohol purchases after a 30-day grace period once the person turns 21. This applies to driver's licenses and all other state-issued identification cards. The bill went into effect Thursday. The change is intended to discourage those who obtain a new, horizontal driver's license after turning 21 from passing on their still-valid vertical licenses to someone who is underage and might use it to purchase alcohol or get into bars. We know that has been an issue in Arizona, said Sgt. Wesley Kuhl, special investigator for the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. There's a constant use of fake IDs and I think this is one of the ways that the Legislature has tried to step in and help curb that problem. Now, any person over 21 who has an underage license has two options for alcohol-related age verification: Get a horizontal driver's license or provide another form of identification. Other acceptable forms include: any valid state-issued identification license (also must be issued after the person turned 21 an unexpired armed-forces ID card; or a valid passport or resident alien card. All ID cards must have the person's picture and date of birth. Read or Share this story: More Stories.
By Nicholas Peppe | Published 14 hours ago | Updated 14 hours ago A new state liquor law could create some inconvenience for students and bars around campus this fall semester. Last week, a law went into effect which states that a vertical driver’s license will no longer be accepted as a form of age verification for anyone purchasing alcohol, even if the holder is over 21 years of age. However, there is a 30-day grace period allotted to change your license from the vertical ID to the horizontal ID after turning 21. This law applies to driver’s licenses and all other state-issued identification cards. Bar owners near campus are well aware of the new changes and understand that this transitional period will inevitably annoy some returning students. “ I think it will definitely cause a lot of confusion at first with all of the students until everyone gets all on the same page and understands how it’s going to work,” said Richard Fifer, general manager of Gentle Ben’s Brewing Co., located on the corner of Tyndall Avenue and University Boulevard. The bar has been serving UA students since 1971 and has continuously been a popular destination among students who are old enough to drink. Employees at the bar are optimistic that, come the end of August when school starts, students will be aware of the new changes through social media efforts taken by their bar and others in the area. “ We definitely will use social media and even do a little paid advertising as well,” Fifer said. “ We are going to kind of push to our audience and advertise and market the new laws so that when school starts and everyone comes back from the summer time, they know we aren’t going to accept some of these IDs that are coming through the door that we normally would before this month.” Sgt. Filbert Barrera, public information officer at the University of Arizona Police Department, said UAPD isn’t.
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