West Virginia Code 60-3A-25a – Mandatory verification of age of persons purchasing alcohol
(a) A licensee who:
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 60-3A-25a
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
(1) Has installed a transaction scan device in its licensed premises; and
(2) Can demonstrate that it requires each employee, servant, or agent to verify the age of any individual to whom liquor is sold, furnished, or given away by the use of the transaction device may not be subject to: (A) Any criminal penalties whatsoever; (B) any administrative penalties from the commissioner; or (C) any civil liability whatsoever for the improper sale, furnishing or giving away of liquor to an individual who is less than twenty-one years of age by one of his or her employees, servants or agents. Any agent, servant or employee who has improperly sold, furnished or given away liquor to an individual who is less than twenty-one years of age is subject to the criminal penalties of subsection (b) of this section. Any agent, servant, or employee, who has improperly sold, furnished or given away liquor to an individual less than twenty-one years of age, is subject to termination from employment, and the employer shall have no civil liability for the termination.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, a licensee can demonstrate that it requires each employee, servant or agent to verify the age of any individual to whom liquor is sold by providing evidence:
(1) That it has developed a written policy which requires each employee, servant or agent to verify the age of each individual to whom liquor will be sold, furnished or given away;
(2) That it has communicated this policy to each employee, servant or agent; and
(3) That it monitors the actions of its employees, servants or agents regarding the sale, furnishing or giving away of liquor and that it has taken corrective action for any discovered noncompliance with this policy.
(c) "Transaction scan" means the process by which a person checks, by means of a transaction scan device, the age and identity of the cardholder, and "transaction scan device" means any commercial device or combination of devices used at a point of sale that is capable of deciphering in an electronically readable format the information enclosed on the magnetic strip or bar code of a driver's license or other governmental identity card.