HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 HCR 4428

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                      Commerce & Labor

Brief Description:  Encouraging brewers to adopt voluntary advertising standards and creating a joint select committee on alcohol advertising.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Heavey, Jacobsen, Fuhrman, Brekke and Sprenkle.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Commerce & Labor, January 31, 1992, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Heavey, Chair; G. Cole, Vice Chair; Fuhrman, Ranking Minority Member; Franklin; Jones; R. King; O'Brien; and Prentice.

Minority Report: Do not pass.  Signed by 3 members:  Representatives Lisk, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Vance; and Wilson.

Staff:  Jim Kelley (786-7166).

Background:  The wine industry has adopted a voluntary code of advertising standards that, among other things, encourages the proper use of wine, forbids the suggestion that wine contributes to success or achievement, and forbids advertising appealing to minors.

Summary of Bill:  The beer and malt liquor industry is urged to adopt a voluntary code of advertising standards similar to the one adopted by the wine industry.

A joint select committee on alcohol advertising is established to review any progress made by the beer and malt liquor industry in its effort to self-regulate and to recommend to the Legislature methods of regulating the industry, if necessary.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The beer industry should be more responsible in its advertising.  The wine industry does a good job of focusing its advertising on adults.

Testimony Against:  Most of the beer industry's advertising is very responsible and entertaining.  Anybody who watched the Super Bowl could see that the kind of advertising is changing.  The industry is responding to consistent public pressure.  Beer advertising does not recruit new drinkers; it merely helps the brewers compete for market share.  This resolution is unnecessary, because the beer industry already has a voluntary code.

Witnesses:  Robert Bale, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (in favor); Ed Miles and Bill Fritz, Anheuser Busch (opposed); Stu Halsan, Coors Brewing Company (opposed); Steve Wehrly, Miller Brewing Company (opposed); and Rich Aanderude, Misty Mazella, and Tamarian Harrison, Puyallup PRIDE (in favor).