Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: This rule making was requested by stakeholders to lessen the difficulties of operating a business during the current economy. Currently the rules require a restaurant licensee to be open a minimum of five days a week. Many licensees have found that five days a week is difficult during the current economy. Rather than the licensee having to request an exception due to hardship, stakeholders have requested the board amend the rules to require a restaurant licensee be open a minimum of three days a week and remove the hardship exception.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 314-02-015 and 314-02-045.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 66.08.030.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 13-01-040 on December 12, 2012.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: February 27, 2012 [2013].

Sharon Foster

Chairman

OTS-5129.3

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 11-23-045, filed 11/9/11, effective 12/10/11)

WAC 314-02-015   What is a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license?   (1) Per RCW 66.24.400, this license allows a restaurant to:

     (a) Serve spirits by the individual glass for on-premises consumption;

     (b) Serve beer by the bottle or can or by tap for on-premises consumption;

     (c) Serve wine for on-premises consumption;

     (d) Allow patrons to remove recorked wine from the licensed premises;

     (e) Sell wine by the bottle for off-premises consumption with the appropriate endorsement; and

     (f) Sell kegs of malt liquor with the appropriate endorsement. This endorsement also allows the sale of beer to a purchaser in a sanitary container brought to the premises by the purchaser or furnished by the licensee and filled at the tap by the retailer at the time of sale.

     (2) To obtain and maintain a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, the restaurant must be open to the public at least five hours a day during the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., ((five)) three days a week. ((The board may consider written requests for exceptions to this requirement due to demonstrated hardship, and may grant an exception under such terms and conditions as the board determines are in the best interests of the public.))

     (3) All applicants for a spirits, beer, and wine license must establish, to the satisfaction of the board, that the premises will operate as a bona fide restaurant. The term "bona fide restaurant" is defined in RCW 66.24.410(2).

[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030 and chapter 66.24 RCW. 11-23-045, § 314-02-015, filed 11/9/11, effective 12/10/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030 and 66.24.363. 11-01-133, § 314-02-015, filed 12/21/10, effective 1/21/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030. 09-02-012, § 314-02-015, filed 12/29/08, effective 1/29/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.04.010, 66.08.030, 66.24.410, 66.44.310, and 66.44.420. 05-22-022, § 314-02-015, filed 10/24/05, effective 11/24/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030, 66.24.010, 66.24.120. 00-07-091, § 314-02-015, filed 3/15/00, effective 4/15/00.]

Privilege	Annual fee
(a) Serve beer by the bottle or can or by tap for on-premises consumption.	$200
(b) Serve wine for on-premises consumption (see RCW 66.24.320 regarding patrons removing recorked wine from the premises).	$200
(c) Sell beer and/or wine in the original, unopened containers for off-premises consumption.	$120
(d) Sell tap beer for off-premises consumption in a sanitary container holding less than four gallons of beer, and brought to the premises by the purchaser.	In conjunction with off-premises privilege outlined in subsection (c).
(e) Sell beer in kegs or other containers holding at least four gallons of beer (see WAC 314-02-115 regarding the requirements for registering kegs).	In conjunction with off-premises privilege outlined in subsection (c).

     (2) All applicants for a beer and/or wine restaurant license must establish, to the satisfaction of the board, that the premises will operate as a bona fide restaurant, as defined in RCW 66.04.010(30).

     (a) Minimum food service is required, as defined in WAC 314-02-010.

     (b) To obtain and maintain a beer and/or wine restaurant license, the restaurant must be open to the public at least five hours a day, ((five)) three days a week. ((The board may consider written requests to this requirement due to demonstrated hardship, and may grant an exception under such terms and conditions as the board determines are in the best interests of the public.))

     (3) If a beer and/or wine restaurant's dedicated dining area comprises less than fifteen percent of the total customer service area, the premises must maintain a tavern license (see WAC 314-02-070 regarding the tavern license).

[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030 and chapter 66.24 RCW. 11-23-045, § 314-02-045, filed 11/9/11, effective 12/10/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030 and 66.24.363. 11-01-133, § 314-02-045, filed 12/21/10, effective 1/21/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030 and 66.24.600. 10-01-091, § 314-02-045, filed 12/16/09, effective 1/16/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.04.010, 66.08.030, 66.24.410, 66.44.310, and 66.44.420. 05-22-022, § 314-02-045, filed 10/24/05, effective 11/24/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030, 66.24.010, 66.24.120. 00-07-091, § 314-02-045, filed 3/15/00, effective 4/15/00.]