Alcoholic beverages: minors.

Children Crime

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Flora
Last action: 2025-10-03
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 264, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Official source material did not provide specific details on the effective date of the new rules.

Alcoholic Beverages: Rules for Minors

This law allows businesses to use certain age verification tools as proof in court that they did not sell alcohol to someone under 21.

What This Bill Does

Allows businesses to use active age verification software or devices to establish the age of a purchaser of alcoholic beverages.
If these tools do not identify false identification cards and if the ID is real, valid proof (bona fide evidence) that matches how the person looks, it can be used as proof in court.

Who It Names or Affects

Businesses that sell alcoholic drinks
People who buy alcoholic drinks

Terms To Know

Bona fide evidence: Real and valid proof of someone's age, like a driver’s license.
Licensee: A business that has permission to sell alcoholic drinks.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if the tools find fake IDs.
Does not change how businesses can use biometric systems for age verification.
Does not specify when the new rules start.

Bill History

2025-10-03 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 264, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-03 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-15 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3026.).
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2524.).
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
From special consent calendar.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-06-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-16 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 1922.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-04-09 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-03-26 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (March 19).
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-02-11 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 13.
2025-02-10 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 509, Flora.
Alcoholic beverages: minors.
Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, establishes the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for the regulation of licenses or the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages within the state. Existing law prescribes various penalties for violations of the act, including that every person who sells, furnishes, gives, or causes to be sold, furnished, or given away any alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age is guilty of a misdemeanor. Existing law provides that a licensee’s acceptance of bona fide evidence, as defined, or utilization of a biometric system constitutes a defense to any prosecution or proceedings against the licensee, as specified.
This bill would provide that the use of an active age verification software or an age verification
device, as provided, to establish the age of a purchaser of alcoholic beverages that fails to identify a false identification card is considered evidence in any prosecution or proceedings against the licensee, as specified, if the identification is bona fide evidence and was physically inspected, is seemingly legitimate, and matches the physical appearance of the customer.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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