Drink up! Buying alcohol in Arizona could become easier under proposed bill
Mar 29, 2016, 6:45 AM
Bell's Eccentric Cafe celebrates Oberon Day Monday, March 21, 2016 in Kalamazoo, Mich. Oberon is a seasonal wheat beer by Bell's Brewery, with just a hint of hops and a smooth finish. (Bryan Bennett/Kalamazoo Gazette-MLive Media Group via AP)
(Bryan Bennett/Kalamazoo Gazette-MLive Media Group via AP)
PHOENIX — Arizona lawmakers want to make it easier for businesses to sell alcohol to customers, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.
And — before you get the wrong idea — no, this new bill has nothing to do with adjusting the legal drinking age.
One Arizona lawmaker introduced a new bill that would allow businesses to accept vertical state driver’s licenses when selling alcoholic beverages.
Currently, customers must present a horizontal form of identification that is only given to those of 21 years of age or older, per a 2014 law.
House Bill 2031 would overturn that law, which made it illegal for customers to buy alcohol if they were using a license they received before they turned 21.
The bill was introduced by Arizona Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, who also voted for the 2014 law.
“What we’re trying to do is fix this so we’re not turning away businesses because a driver license is not shaped right,” he said in an interview with The Arizona Republic.
Borrelli added the new bill would be good for the Arizona economy, allowing more money to be brought in from the increased number of sales.
Customers who wish to partake in adult libations must currently apply for and receive a horizontal ID within 30 days of turning 21, according to the Arizona Department of Liquor.
