KINGSPORT, Tenn., June 23, 2007
Buying Beer, Grandpa? You Will Be Carded
Tennessee To Become First State To Require Mandatory ID From All — Yes, All — For Beer Purchases
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Lucien Geldrich checks a customer's ID as he rings up a purchase at the Frugal MacDoogal Beer Warehouse in Nashville, Tenn., May 9, 2006. A law set to take effect July 1 will require everyone — regardless of age — to show proof of legal age in order to buy beer. But if you're buying hard liquor or wine, you can leave the ID at home. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
The Tennessee Responsible Vendor Act, designed to curb underage drinking, takes effect July 1. It will expire after one year to give lawmakers and vendors a chance to review its effectiveness. The legislation does not apply to the sale of wine and liquor purchases or to beer sales at restaurants and bars.
Jarron Springer, president of the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association, has embraced the new law, saying it will make Tennessee a national leader on the issue of underage drinking. Although older customers who are obviously of legal age to buy beer could be put out by the requirement, Springer hopes they will cooperate with clerks.
Many stores have already begun carding everyone who buys beer.
John Kelly, chief operating officer for Roadrunner Markets, implemented the policy last year. Carding everyone makes it less likely that a clerk mistakenly sells beer to someone who is underage, he said, and regular customers quickly got used to having to show an ID. Most now arrive at the counter with their identification in hand.
"The universal carding law means that all retailers are on the same page," said Kelly. "There will be consistent training of clerks. Customers can expect to have their ID checked at any store in Tennessee that sells beer."
Along with mandatory carding, the new law also establishes a voluntary Responsible Vendor Program in which retailers who have their clerks undergo a training course will face lesser penalties for underage sales than nonparticipating vendors.
Responsible Vendors face fines of up to $1,000 for each underage sale. They lose Responsible Vendor status if they commit two violations in a 12-month period. If there is a further violation, the vendor could have its license suspended or revoked or be fined up to $2,500. Non-certified vendors can face those penalties on a first offense.
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See all 45 CommentsWhen you ask them if it's their requirement or a state one, if they even bothered to ask their management, they just smile and say they think it's their company's policy.
Posted by g2memphis at 10:21 PM : Jun 24, 2007
Uhmmmm....in TN she probably has nothing to worry about....unless the coconut milk is ever mixed with beer. Apparently TN has no concern over the hard liquor (which mixers are used with) and only will be going overboard for beer. Still....expect a few glitches for the first year.
Posted by salty1954 at 03:02 PM : Jun 23, 2007
FYI--The word is not "resolve"--which means to bring to completion. The word is "absolve" which means to release from implication.
Normally ,I try not to correct grammar or typos--but definitions left unchecked--could mean embarrassment when it really matters--like out in an interview or when givng a speech.
The town I live in outside Chicago has had mandatory carding for over five years now. Relax - you get use to it.
Posted by soxperk at 10:02 AM : Jun 25, 2007
We don't need anymore stupid laws. they should tighten the penalties for procuring or providing beer, and any other liquor for minors--because most don't buy it themselves anyway.
What is the point of this law? To drive kids and others to harder liquor? Since people are not carded the same for wine and gin, scotch, tequila and rum....guess its time for the lil kids to buy Mad dog 20/20, Night Train....or how about some Bacardi or Seagrams Gin?
This is a stupid law--most underage drinking is from kids raiding their parents liquor stash OR from kids have legal adults buy it for them. So this stops who? THINKING....not just for breakfast anymore.
Silly person, the Dems want control of your life just like the Repubs, unless they have total control they feel vulnerable. If you think Interpol, MI5, and other agencies will let the CIA, FBI or NSA have total control you have another thik coming. When its all said and done most of those outfits will join hand in unholy matrimony and wipe out all that resist. After that Orwell, and the apocryptic books will look very familliar to the survivors.
PREPARE FOR THE NATIONAL ID CARD ALSO - BUSH & CHENEY ARE GETTING THEIR WISHES - TOTAL BIG BROTHER CONTROL OVER ALL OF YOU!
VOTE Democratic now before they pass so many laws that the CHIP will be in your hand before you know it. God knows I won't do it, but it's heading that way - A national ID card? Next, we're gonna get stopped crossing state boundaries and asked for our papers!
ENOUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Posted by rohink at 09:49 PM : Jun 23, 2007
I guess a Tennesseean might think that, they thing the voters of their state are id ten t's, but you have not said what qualifies me for that catagory. C'mon you can do better than that.
The politicians think they can legislate away every societal ill and never consider the unintended consequences of their dubious actions.
If 18 year olds are considered too young/immature to buy beer, then why are they considered old enough to carry a fully automatic weapon?
It's just stupid.
OH and to the idiot rambling on about Southerns ... sevenpesos or something like that ... get a life.
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