Missouri is considering legislation that would provide affirmative defense to retailers using age verification systems before alcohol transactions. Missouri HB 2599 states:
Any owner, occupant, or other person or legal entity with a lawful right to the exclusive use and enjoyment of any property who knowingly allows a person under the age of twenty-one to drink or possess intoxicating liquor or knowingly fails to stop a person under the age of twenty-one from drinking or possessing intoxicating liquor on such property, unless such person allowing the person under the age of twenty-one to drink or possess intoxicating liquor is his or her parent or guardian, is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Any second or subsequent violation of this subsection is a class A misdemeanor. It shall be a defense to prosecution under this section if:
“To purchase the intoxicating liquor, the person exhibited to the defendant a driver’s license, Missouri nondriver’s identification card, secure identity verification that used a valid government-issued identification card verified through a secure identity verification provider, or other official or apparently official document, containing a photograph of the minor and purporting to establish that such minor was twenty-one years of age and of the legal age for consumption of intoxicating liquor.”
What does Missouri HB 2599 mean?
Simply, it means using a third party age verification system could act as a legal defense in the event that alcohol was accidentally sold to a minor. By using an ID scanner and age verification software, age is confirmed by the software and the visitor history can be provided to law enforcement as a defense against fines and prosecution. Using VeriScan, the visitor logs and detailed history can be exported from an online cloud and easily presented to the necessary parties should the event arise.
When would Missouri HB 2599 go into effect?
As of July 31, 2024, Missouri HB 2599 is still in the early stages. There were public hearings held surrounding the potential law in April 2024, but there has not been much progress made since then, likely due to the summer legislative break. As more updates occur surrounding Missouri HB 2599, we will be sure to post updates and ensure you can provide the best protection for your business.
