Fake ID Bill will help ID Scanner operators

From Jeff Klein’s web site in September 2010,  he posted his pending bill –  Klein’s “Fake ID” bill (S.1871-a) would help combat illegal underage drinking by extending civil liability under New York’s dram shop law to those who make and sell fake IDs to anyone under 21 years of age. This means that those who sell fake IDs to minors would be held financially responsible for an injury or death caused by a minor who got drunk using one of these illegal IDs.  This law would give merchants another reason to purchase an ID Scanner.

This is a step in the right direction.  There are a few issues not addressed by this effort.  First according to a recent study titled Low Tech Fake ID, most Fake IDs are not really Fake IDs but duplicate IDs.   They are borrowed from an older friend or sibling, so they are valid just not for the person using them.  That is why using an ID Scanner shouldn’t claim to catch Fake IDs!  Second, many fake IDs are now made in the far east.  So legal liability will be hard to enforce on off shore parties.

The next step in NY is to put the liability for using a Fake ID in the person presenting the Fake.  Texas has a law which holds the minor responsible for using a fake ID when buying alcohol.     This would make it less likely that a minor would try to present a Fake ID, especially if the merchant can record the event with an ID Scanner.