SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5813

As Passed Senate, March 10, 2001

Title:  An act relating to the sale of wine for off‑premises consumption.

Brief Description:  Allowing restaurants and private clubs to sell wine for off‑premises consumption.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions (originally sponsored by Senators Honeyford, Rasmussen, Deccio, McCaslin, Hale, Constantine, Sheahan, Hewitt, Winsley, Prentice and Kohl‑Welles).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions:  2/20/01 [DPS].

Passed Senate:  3/10/01, 44-5.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5813 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Benton, Deccio, Fairley, Franklin, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Patterson, Rasmussen, Regala, West and Winsley.

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786‑7472)

Background:  Restaurants and private clubs that are holders of ?spirits, beer and wine@ licenses currently do not have special license endorsements allowing them to sell exclusively-labeled wine and sparkling wine for off-premises consumption.

Summary of Bill:  An endorsement is added to existing restaurant and private club liquor licenses to allow the sale of wine vinted and bottled in the state of Washington and sparkling wine from California to be sold for off-premises consumption, when the wine or sparkling wine is bottled and labeled exclusively for the restaurant or private club.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This bill will help a limited number of facilities and will promote Washington State wines.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Honeyford, prime sponsor; Stu Halsan, Washington State Fed. of Clubs.

House Amendment(s):  California sparkling wine is not included among wines that can be sold for off-premises consumption.