FINAL BILL REPORT

                                    SB 6339

                                   C 42 L 92

                              SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

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

SPONSORS: Senator Hayner

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

BACKGROUND:

Currently 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.  Fortified wine is defined as wine containing 14 percent of alcohol or more by volume.

A class F restricted wine retailer's license may only be issued in counties with populations over 300,000; these include the counties of King, Pierce, Snohomish and Spokane.

SUMMARY:

The Liquor Control Board's statutory prohibition on issuing class F restricted wine retailer's license in counties with populations of less than 300,000 is removed. 

A class F restricted wine retailer's license may be issued in all counties of the state.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate      43    1

House 93    0

EFFECTIVE:  June 11, 1992