Alcohol drinkers may soon be able to use their palms as a form of identification when purchasing liquor.

The state Senate on Monday unanimously passed a bill to allow a business to use biometric identification – the palm of your hand, a scan of your eye or a recording of your voice – as a way to check the age of someone trying to purchase alcohol.

There is currently no state law prohibiting biometric age verification when purchasing alcohol, but officials on the state Liquor and Cannabis Board said clearer guidance surrounding the technology would be useful for establishments hoping to use it.

“As technology evolves, it creates new opportunities, and I think it’s important that we allow those technologies to be a part of our commerce and trade in our state,” bill sponsor Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, said.

Senate Bill 6179 would be optional for both businesses and customers.

If a business wanted to use a biometric system, they would likely partner with a company that offers the technology and allows customers to opt in with their data. A customer could then purchase alcohol using something like their handprint as a form of identification, rather than a traditional ID.

The proposal received support from business groups, technology companies and large venues, like Climate Pledge Arena. Supporters say the technology could be a way to move large groups of people through a line faster, such as at busy sporting events. Denver’s Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team, and the Cleveland Browns Stadium both use biometric age verification for alcohol purchases.

Some businesses in Washington already use this technology, though nowhere uses it to verify a person’s age to buy alcohol. 

CLEAR at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport uses biometric technology to allow someone to more quickly go through security screenings. Hudson stores at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Whole Foods Markets use Amazon One devices, which allow customers to swipe their hand in lieu of a credit card. Climate Pledge Arena, where the Seattle Kraken hockey team plays, also uses Amazon One payment devices.

The state Liquor and Cannabis Board discussed the idea last summer but called on lawmakers to create a framework for how this technology could be used, especially given concerns around who has access to the biometric data.

Under the Senate’s proposal, data used for age verification cannot be used for any other purpose, according to the proposal. Consumers must also be informed of the categories of data that will be collected before they consent to the program.

Any violations of the law would be enforced by the state Attorney General’s Office under the Consumer Protection Act.

Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, said Monday that the bill’s approach is the best to begin allowing this technology for age verification. She added that while biometric technology is more accurate than an identification card, there still must be protections for people’s data.

The bill will now head to the state House of Representatives where it must pass before the end of the legislative session on March 7.

by Laurel Demkovich, Washington State Standard

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