BILL REQ. #:  H-3553.2 

Read first time 01/24/14.   Referred to Committee on Government Accountability & Oversight.

     AN ACT Relating to liquor catering; amending RCW 66.44.350; and adding a new section to chapter 66.24 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 66.24 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) There shall be a caterer's license to sell spirits, beer, and wine, by the individual serving, at retail, for consumption on the premises at an event location that is either owned, leased, or operated either by the caterer or the sponsor of the event for which catering services are being provided. If the event is open to the public, it must be sponsored by a society or organization as defined in RCW 66.24.375. If attendance at the event is limited to members or invited guests of the sponsoring individual, society, or organization, the requirement that the sponsor must be a society or organization as defined in RCW 66.24.375 is waived. The licensee must serve food as required by rules of the board.
     (2) The annual fee is two hundred dollars for the beer license, two hundred dollars for the wine license, or four hundred dollars for a combination beer and wine license. The annual fee for a combined beer, wine, and spirits license is one thousand dollars.
     (3) The holder of this license shall, if requested by the board, notify the board or its designee of the date, time, place, and location of any catered event at which liquor will be served. Upon request, the licensee shall provide to the board all necessary or requested information concerning the individual, society, or organization that will be holding the catered function at which the caterer's liquor license will be utilized.
     (4) The holder of this license may, under conditions established by the board, store liquor on other premises operated by the licensee so long as the other premises are owned or controlled by a leasehold interest by that licensee.

Sec. 2   RCW 66.44.350 and 1999 c 281 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
     Notwithstanding provisions of RCW 66.44.310, employees holding beer and/or wine restaurant; beer and/or wine private club; snack bar; spirits, beer, and wine restaurant; spirits, beer, and wine private club; catering; and sports entertainment facility licenses who are licensees eighteen years of age and over may take orders for, serve, and sell liquor in any part of the licensed premises except cocktail lounges, bars, or other areas classified by the Washington state liquor control board as off-limits to persons under twenty-one years of age: PROVIDED, That such employees may enter such restricted areas to perform work assignments including picking up liquor for service in other parts of the licensed premises, performing clean up work, setting up and arranging tables, delivering supplies, delivering messages, serving food, and seating patrons: PROVIDED FURTHER, That such employees shall remain in the areas off-limits to minors no longer than is necessary to carry out their aforementioned duties: PROVIDED FURTHER, That such employees shall not be permitted to perform activities or functions of a bartender.