Missing bar codes lead to trouble

By Tom Caprood

"Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola said that he was concerned Friday about the fact that the state Department of Motor Vehicles had removed a bar code from the back of driver's licenses, permits and IDs because it had been regularly used by area beverage centers to verify the age of customers looking to purchase alcohol, tobacco, or lottery tickets..."

"'The second bar code was the most effective and fool-proof way of verifying a person's age,' said Merola, who added that, to his knowledge, the state DMV gave no reason for the change. 'It makes no sense at all for that information to be removed by state DMV from new driver's licenses, permits and ID cards...'"

"McGinnis also explained that the only new licenses that have been issued with this barcode have been for individuals who are between the ages of 18 and 21, and that licenses for that age group already have a special designation on them stating that the individual is under 21 and not legally allowed to purchase alcohol, regardless of the barcode on the back of the document..."

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