HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      SB 6339

                              As Passed House

                               March 5, 1992

Title:  An act relating to class F wine retailer's licenses.

Brief Description:  Eliminating the county size requirement for class F wine retailer's licenses.

Sponsor(s):  Senator Hayner.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Commerce & Labor, February 26, 1992, DP;

Passed House, March 5, 1992, 93-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Heavey, Chair; G. Cole, Vice Chair; Fuhrman, Ranking Minority Member; Lisk, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Franklin; Jones; R. King; O'Brien; Prentice; and Vance.

Staff:  Jim Kelley (786-7166).

Background:  The Liquor Control Board is authorized to issue a class F wine retailer's license to wine shops, grocery stores, taverns, and certain restaurants to sell wine by the bottle for off-premise consumption.

In addition, the board was authorized in 1987 to issue a class F restricted wine retailer's license which prohibits a licensee from selling fortified wine if the board finds that the sale of fortified wine would be against the public interest.  "Fortified wine" is defined as wine containing 14 percent of alcohol or more by volume.  In determining the public interest, the board considers three factors:  (1) The likelihood that the applicant will sell fortified wine to intoxicated persons; (2) law enforcement problems in the area that may result from the sale of fortified wine; and (3) whether the sale of fortified wine would be detrimental to or inconsistent with a government-operated or funded alcohol treatment or detoxification program in the area.

A class F restricted wine retailer's license may only be issued in counties with populations over 300,000.  This includes King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane counties.

Summary of Bill:  The Liquor Control Board may issue a class F restricted wine license in any county of the state.

Fiscal Note:  Requested.

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

Testimony For:  The bill makes the fortified wine law uniform throughout the state.  The Liquor Control Board will have no trouble enforcing the law.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Bill Grant (in favor); and Carter Mitchell, Liquor Control Board (in favor).