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Local Bar Owners Have New Tool to Stop Underage Drinkers As NYS Promotes Education

Chris Bolt, WAER news

  Syracuse area bar and tavern owners will have to crack down on underage drinkers or face a hefty fine of $10,000 and a possibly lose of their liquor license. The New York State DMV and  Liquor Authority are now making it a lot harder for underage drinkers to fly under the radar. With its full scale effort to train and enforce its underage drinking initiative across the state, the NYS Liquor Authority will be getting tougher on establishments by tracking the “last drink location” of underage drinkers and making it easier to detect fake ID’s its new vertical ID card for those under 21.  

SEE BELOW FOR NEW FEATURES ON REVAMPED LICENSE  

State Liquor Authority Chairman Vincent Bradley said, “In addition to assisting regulatory agencies and law enforcement, DMV’s enhanced licenses will make it easy for conscientious bouncers, servers and clerks to quickly spot licenses that have been altered or forged. Educating licensees on these new security features will increase compliance and assist in our continuing efforts to prevent young New Yorkers from buying and abusing alcohol.”

Within the past year State Police has conducted numerous surprise inspections across the County that have resulted in violations of underage drinking sales at the Village Lanes, Elbridge Wine and Spirits and Louie’s Tavern. Now county businesses will have an increased opportunity from the state as it extends its availability of its alcohol training and awareness program thru online and onsite learning, as well as its new electronic brochures.

Credit Chris Bolt, WAER news
The new ID cards will make it alot easier for bar workers to spot underage drinkers

  Governor Cuomo said. “As a new college semester is about to begin, we must work together to keep underage New Yorkers out of the bars and out of harm’s way.”

The New ID security enhanced ID's have been in circulation since 2013. All current licenses will remain valid until its expiration date is reached and the new license format will be issued by the DMV on renewal. 

THE HALLMARKS OF THE NEW ID's:

  •  Vertical card: Anyone under 21 years old is issued a vertical card, making it easier to spot.
  •  Under ultra-violet light: Highly detailed ultra-violet graphics cover the front surface of the card, including a map of New York State, starbursts in the left corner, and fine line graphics in the clear window.
  •  Polycarbonate material: The cards have a unique metallic sound when dropped on a hard surface.
  •  Laser-engraved photo: The photo is burned into the card on a background of fine line graphics.
  • Tactile laser engraving: You can feel the raised lettering on the ID number, birth and expiration dates, and signature.
  • Anti-copy ink colors and rainbow printing: The card is manufactured using fine line color graphics that are difficult to reproduce on a color copier or photo printer.
  • Secondary photo in clear window: The secondary photo is burned into the car with laser engraving. The clear window has clean, beveled edges.
  •  Variable wave pattern: The “wave” features the license holder’s name as a continuous string of variable sized text, which transitions through the clear secondary photo window.
  • Back of the card: The signature and address change boxes on the back of the card have a matte finish that is flush with the surface

Credit New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
The image explains the enhanced security features embedded in the new IDs.

Chris Bolt, Ed.D. has proudly been covering the Central New York community and mentoring students for more than 30 years. His career in public media started as a student volunteer, then as a reporter/producer. He has been the news director for WAER since 1995. Dedicated to keeping local news coverage alive, Chris also has a passion for education, having trained, mentored and provided a platform for growth to more than a thousand students. Career highlights include having work appear on NPR, CBS, ABC and other news networks, winning numerous local and state journalism awards.