Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Commerce & Labor Committee

HB 1866

Brief Description:  Allowing certain employees to handle beer or wine.

Sponsors:  Representatives B. Chandler, Wood, Conway and Clements.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Allows minor employees aged 18 to 21 of a non-retail liquor licensee to stock, merchandise, and handle beer and wine on the premises of a retail grocery store or wine and/or beer specialty shop under supervision of an adult aged 21 or older employed by the retail establishment.

Hearing Date:  2/23/01

Staff:  Christopher Waraksa (786‑5793); Sydney Forrester (786-7120).

Background: 

Minors are prohibited from consuming or possessing alcohol and restricted from working or entering areas where alcohol is served.  There are several employment exceptions to these restrictions.  For example, minors 18 to 21 may be employed to work as professional musicians or to perform janitorial services in otherwise off-limit locations.  Police officers between the ages of 18 and 21 may enter otherwise off-limit locations in the line of duty.  Licensed minors aged 18 to 21 may handle and sell alcohol in restaurants, snack bars, and private clubs, but not in bars, cocktail lounges or other areas established as off-limits by the Washington State Liquor Control Board.  These exceptions do not specifically require supervision by adults aged 21 or older. 

In other circumstances, minors aged 18 to 21 must be supervised when they work with alcohol.  Minor employees aged 18 to 21 of grocery stores or wine and beer specialty shops may sell and handle beer or wine but an adult aged 21 or older must supervise sales of alcohol on the premises.  Also, minors aged 18 to 21 who are employees of nonretail licensees (wholesalers, manufacturers, breweries, and wineries) may stock, handle, and merchandise beer and wine for their employer but only on and around the nonretail premises, and only so long as an adult aged 21 or older is supervising.

Summary of Bill: 

A new exception is created to the alcohol-related work restrictions for minors.  Minors between the ages of 18 and 21 employed by nonretail liquor licensees may stock, merchandise or handle beer or wine on the premises of a licensed grocery store or beer and/or wine specialty shop, but only so long as the retail licensee provides supervision by an adult aged 21 or older.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.