Virginia Petroleum Convenience and Grocery Association is pleased to support the following proposed regulatory change.  We appreciate the ABC  Department including this language which was amoung our suggested amendments.

 As Virginia's cutting edge drivers licenses become universal in the next few years, increasing numbers of convenience stores will likely utilize them and electronic age verification equipment further reduce underage sales.  The proposed change will facilitate these changes  and should reduce inadvertent sales to persons under 21

Thank you for your consideration of our comments.

Michael J. O'Connor

President and CEO

Virginia Petroleum Convenience and Grocery Association

7275 Glen Forest Drive Suite 204

Richmond VA 23226

D.  In determining whether a licensee, or his employee or agent, has reason to believe that a purchaser is not of legal age it shall be presumed that a licensee, or his employee or agent did not have reason to believe that a purchaser is not of legal age if the purchaser presents a photo identification that is verified by electronic age verification equipment and/or electronically stored verification information on a driver’s license and the purchaser reasonably appears to be the person in the photograph on such identification.