FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1179

C 76 L 15

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Exempting cider makers from the wine commission assessment.

Sponsors: Representatives Lytton, Buys, S. Hunt, Wilcox, Blake, Appleton, Morris, G. Hunt, Short, Walkinshaw, Tarleton, Fitzgibbon, Gregerson, Van Werven, Tharinger, Sells, Muri and MacEwen.

House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background:

The Liquor Control Board (Board) levies agricultural commodity assessments on wine producers and growers of Washington vinifera wine grapes in order to permanently fund the Washington Wine Commission (Commission), which is an agricultural commodity commission. On producers, the annual assessment is 2 cents per gallon on sales of packaged Washington wines. On growers, the annual assessment is $3 per ton of vinifera grapes. The assessment rates may be changed pursuant to a referendum conducted by the Commission that is approved by a majority vote of wine producers or wine growers, whichever group's assessment rate is affected by the referendum. The Board must disburse assessments quarterly to the Commission, which uses the money to market Washington wine and enhance the production of wine grapes and wine.

Cider is table wine that contains not less than .5 percent of alcohol by volume and not more than 7 percent of alcohol by volume. Cider is made from the normal alcoholic fermentation of the juice of sound, ripe apples or pears. Cider includes flavored, sparkling, or carbonated cider and cider made from condensed apple or pear must. Currently, the Board levies the annual commodity assessment on makers of cider just as it does on makers of wine.

Summary:

After July 1, 2015, the commodity assessment that applies to vinifera wine grape growers and vinifera wine producers, which is imposed to fund the Washington Wine Commission, no longer applies to makers of cider.

Votes on Final Passage: