The Anchorage Assembly has voted to repeal a recently implemented mandate that required all individuals, nonetheless of age, to present identification when purchasing alcohol at bars and restaurants within the municipality.

This decision promptly lifts the requirement for these establishments, though liquor stores will continue to enforce ID checks, a practice in place as 2011.

The mandate had faced strong opposition from bar and resturant owners who argued that it inconvenienced customers, negatively impacted sales, and tarnished the city’s reputation among tourists.

The expanded mandate,initially approved unanimously late last year,was in effect for just over three months.

Proponents of the ordinance, including some assembly members, asserted that it was essential to prevent alcohol sales to individuals under 21 and those with a “red stripe” driver’s license, indicating a court order prohibiting alcohol purchases.

During the Assembly vote on the repeal, Anna Brawley, Zac Johnson, George Martinez, and Felix Rivera voted against the measure.

Restaurant and Bar Owners Express Relief

“When you see the military veteran that walks in with a hat that says,USS-something,World war II,I’m pretty sure that he’s of drinking age,”

Following the repeal,brewery and restaurant operators in Anchorage expressed their relief,noting that the mandate had led to decreased sales,increased operational costs for staff training and signage,and confusion among older visitors unfamiliar with such stringent requirements.

David McCarthy,a co-owner of 49th State Brewing and other establishments in Alaska,shared his experience: “When you see the military veteran that walks in with a hat that says,USS-something,World War II,I’m pretty sure that he’s of drinking age. now, we can serve that veteran.”

McCarthy added that a group of Anchorage restaurant owners celebrated the repeal, describing it as “great news” and a “huge win.”

He believes the repeal will restore hospitality in Anchorage as the summer tourism season begins.

49th State already has an internal policy requiring staff to check all IDs, McCarthy noted. However, managers can now approve alcohol sales to individuals who are clearly of legal drinking age but do not have identification.

Under the mandate, these individuals were denied service, leading some to leave the premises, according to McCarthy.

“It doesn’t mean that we’re negating the challenges related to alcohol in the community,” he said. “We still are committed to protecting vulnerable people from access, but at the end of the day, I believe we are bringing a level of hospitality back.”

Alaska law stipulates that ID checks are necessary when an individual’s age is uncertain or if there is suspicion that they are restricted from purchasing alcohol.State regulations also require alcohol servers to undergo training, advising them to check the ID of anyone appearing younger then 30.

Mary Rosenzweig, a co-owner of Turnagain Brewing, also expressed relief, stating that the broad mandate was ineffective in preventing “red-stripe” sales, as individuals could use alternative forms of identification like passports.

Rosenzweig noted that the mandate prevented the brewery from serving repeat customers who had previously been carded and were clearly of legal age. “I had to turn away three parties last week,” she said. “For us to turn them away, especially when it’s people we know, is really, really frustrating.”

Public Safety Concerns Raised

Assembly members Anna Brawley and Zac Johnson, along with former member Karen Bronga, sponsored the initial measure for expanded ID checks.

Bronga expressed her disappointment with the repeal, stating, “Assembly members also spent a good deal with the meeting lamenting the safety of our streets yet refused to give this ordinance a chance to provide real data.”

“The cost of alcohol in our community is too great to do nothing and I am ashamed and offended that the seven seconds that it takes to pull out an ID from your wallet is perceived as punishment,” she said. “The families of individuals who have been killed or sustained life altering injuries are dealing with a lifetime of pain.”

Bronga argued that the full mandate had not been in place long enough to demonstrate its effectiveness.

She pointed to a decrease in driving under the influence violations after mandatory ID checks were implemented in liquor stores in 2011, suggesting that the expanded mandate was intended to prevent DUI violations and save lives.

Bronga compared the mandate to other initially unpopular measures, such as the municipality’s plastic shopping bag ban and smoking ban in enclosed public places, which have as become accepted.

“There’s a learning curve,” she said.

Johnson echoed these sentiments, stating that the expanded mandate was intended to address a public safety crisis related to alcohol-involved traffic fatalities in Anchorage.

He also acknowledged that the mandate had not been in effect long enough to provide conclusive data on its public safety benefits or its impact on businesses.

Brawley voiced concerns about the Assembly’s differential treatment of liquor stores compared to restaurants, bars, and breweries, noting, “and granted, they do different things, but they’re all essentially serving alcohol to customers.”

Assembly members Daniel Volland and Scott Myers, who initially supported the mandate, co-sponsored the repeal with Yarrow Silvers, who joined the Assembly in April.

Silvers argued that existing laws addressing drunken driving,underage drinking,and service to intoxicated individuals are more effective than the mandate. “Checking the ID of a senior citizen before you serve them alcohol is not going to prevent a minor from drinking,” she said.

Volland acknowledged that the original measure was “well-intended” but had negatively impacted businesses and caused confusion. He added that he was unconvinced of its effectiveness, given the ease with which individuals could circumvent the “red stripe” ID requirement.

Volland concluded, “I actually think it’s really bad policy,” emphasizing the need for continued efforts to improve public safety, including law enforcement, but asserting that the expanded mandate was not contributing to that goal.