Brief Description: Authorizing the use of enrollment cards issued by federally recognized Indian tribes.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Simpson, Roach, P. Sullivan, Quall, McDermott, Santos, Appleton, McCoy, Hunt, Kenney, Kagi and Blake).

House Committee on Judiciary
Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development

Background:

To verify age, a purchaser of liquor or tobacco may present any one of the following documents that shows the purchaser's age and bears the purchaser's signature and photograph:

• liquor control authority card from a state or Canada;
• driver's license, instruction permit, or identification card from a state or Canada;
• Washington state "identicard" from the Department of Licensing (DOL);
• U.S. military identification;
• passport; or
• U.S. merchant marine identification card.

The Department of Licensing accepts enrollment cards from federally recognized Indian tribes as a form of secondary documentation establishing a person's identity when applying for a driver's license.

There are 29 federally recognized Indian tribes in Washington. There are also non-federally recognized tribes in the state. Each tribe determines its own membership criteria, using a variety of methods such as blood quantum requirements. Each tribe may issue enrollment cards to its members. There are no federal standards for tribal enrollment cards.

Summary:

To verify a purchaser's age, a tobacco or liquor retailer may accept enrollment cards from federally recognized Indian tribes in Washington that incorporate security features comparable to those implemented by the DOL for driver's licenses.

At least 90 days prior to implementation of an enrollment card, the tribe must give notice to the Liquor Control Board (Board). The Board must publish and communicate to liquor and tobacco licensees regarding the implementation of each new enrollment card.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   98   0
Senate   48   0   (Senate amended)
Houses      (House refuses to concur)
Senate   48   0   (Senate amended)
House   96   1   (House concurred)

Effective: July 24, 2005