H-3667

AN ACT Relating to funding alcohol awareness programming; amending RCW 66.24.210, 66.24.290, 82.08.150, 66.08.026, and 82.08.160; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The Washington state liquor control board is charged with the responsibility of controlling the manufacture, distribution, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. As a part of that responsibility, the legislature deems it appropriate for the board to conduct an aggressive public awareness campaign directed toward youth under the legal drinking age of twenty-one years to discourage consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Sec. 2. RCW 66.24.210 and 1991 c 192 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There is hereby imposed upon all wines sold to wine wholesalers and the Washington state liquor control board, within the state a tax at the rate of twenty and one-fourth cents per liter: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That wine sold or shipped in bulk from one winery to another winery shall not be subject to such tax. The tax provided for in this section may, if so prescribed by the board, be collected by means of stamps to be furnished by the board, or by direct payments based on wine purchased by wine wholesalers. Every person purchasing wine under the provisions of this section shall on or before the twentieth day of each month report to the board all purchases during the preceding calendar month in such manner and upon such forms as may be prescribed by the board, and with such report shall pay the tax due from the purchases covered by such report unless the same has previously been paid. Any such purchaser of wine whose applicable tax payment is not postmarked by the twentieth day following the month of purchase will be assessed a penalty at the rate of two percent a month or fraction thereof. If this tax be collected by means of stamps, every such person shall procure from the board revenue stamps representing the tax in such form as the board shall prescribe and shall affix the same to the package or container in such manner and in such denomination as required by the board and shall cancel the same prior to the delivery of the package or container containing the wine to the purchaser. If the tax is not collected by means of stamps, the board may require that every such person shall execute to and file with the board a bond to be approved by the board, in such amount as the board may fix, securing the payment of the tax. If any such person fails to pay the tax when due, the board may forthwith suspend or cancel the license until all taxes are paid.

(2) An additional tax is imposed equal to the rate specified in RCW 82.02.030 multiplied by the tax payable under subsection (1) of this section. All revenues collected during any month from this additional tax shall be transferred to the state general fund by the twenty-fifth day of the following month.

(3) An additional tax is imposed on wines subject to tax under subsection (1) of this section, at the rate of one-fourth of one cent per liter for wine sold after June 30, 1987. Such additional tax shall cease to be imposed on July 1, 1993. All revenues collected under this subsection (3) shall be disbursed quarterly to the Washington wine commission for use in carrying out the purposes of chapter 15.88 RCW.

(4) Until July 1, 1995, an additional tax is imposed on all wine subject to tax under subsection (1) of this section. The additional tax is equal to twenty-three and forty-four one-hundredths cents per liter on fortified wine as defined in RCW 66.04.010(34) when bottled or packaged by the manufacturer and one cent per liter on all other wine. All revenues collected during any month from this additional tax shall be deposited in the drug enforcement and education account under RCW 69.50.520 by the twenty-fifth day of the following month.

(5) An additional tax of one cent per gallon, which for administrative purposes is $.00264 per liter, is imposed upon each sale of wine in the original package with all revenues generated by this tax to be used by the board for alcohol awareness programming directed toward persons under the legal drinking age of twenty-one years.

Sec. 3. RCW 66.24.290 and 1989 c 271 s 502 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Any brewer or beer wholesaler licensed under this title may sell and deliver beer to holders of authorized licenses direct, but to no other person, other than the board; and every such brewer or beer wholesaler shall report all sales to the board monthly, pursuant to the regulations, and shall pay to the board as an added tax for the privilege of manufacturing and selling the beer within the state a tax of two dollars and sixty cents per barrel of thirty-one gallons on sales to licensees within the state and on sales to licensees within the state of bottled and canned beer shall pay a tax computed in gallons at the rate of two dollars and sixty cents per barrel of thirty-one gallons. Any brewer or beer wholesaler whose applicable tax payment is not postmarked by the twentieth day following the month of sale will be assessed a penalty at the rate of two percent per month or fraction thereof. Each such brewer or wholesaler shall procure from the board revenue stamps representing such tax in form prescribed by the board and shall affix the same to the barrel or package in such manner and in such denominations as required by the board, and shall cancel the same prior to commencing delivery from his place of business or warehouse of such barrels or packages. Beer shall be sold by brewers and wholesalers in sealed barrels or packages. The revenue stamps herein provided for need not be affixed and canceled in the making of resales of barrels or packages already taxed by the affixation and cancellation of stamps as provided in this section.

(3) Until July 1, 1995, an additional tax is imposed on all beer subject to tax under subsection (1) of this section. The additional tax is equal to two dollars per barrel of thirty-one gallons. All revenues collected during any month from this additional tax shall be deposited in the drug enforcement and education account under RCW 69.50.520 by the twenty-fifth day of the following month.

(4) The tax imposed under this section shall not apply to "strong beer" as defined in this title.

(5) An additional tax of one cent per gallon is imposed upon each sale of beer in the original package with all revenues generated by this tax to be used by the board for alcohol awareness programming directed toward persons under the legal drinking age of twenty-one years.

Sec. 4. RCW 82.08.150 and 1989 c 271 s 503 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There is levied and shall be collected a tax upon each retail sale of spirits, or strong beer in the original package at the rate of fifteen percent of the selling price. The tax imposed in this subsection shall apply to all such sales including sales by the Washington state liquor stores and agencies, but excluding sales to class H licensees.

(2) There is levied and shall be collected a tax upon each sale of spirits, or strong beer in the original package at the rate of ten percent of the selling price on sales by Washington state liquor stores and agencies to class H licensees.

(3) There is levied and shall be collected an additional tax upon each retail sale of spirits in the original package at the rate of one dollar and seventy-two cents per liter. The additional tax imposed in this subsection shall apply to all such sales including sales by Washington state liquor stores and agencies, and including sales to class H licensees.

(4) An additional tax is imposed equal to the rate specified in RCW 82.02.030 multiplied by the taxes payable under subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this section.

(5) Until July 1, 1995, an additional tax is imposed upon each retail sale of spirits in the original package at the rate of seven cents per liter. The additional tax imposed in this subsection shall apply to all such sales including sales by Washington state liquor stores and agencies, and including sales to class H licensees. All revenues collected during any month from this additional tax shall be deposited in the drug enforcement and education account under RCW 69.50.520 by the twenty-fifth day of the following month.

(6) An additional tax of one cent per gallon, which for administrative purposes is $.00264 per liter, is imposed upon each sale of spirits in the original package with all revenues generated by this tax to be used by the board for alcohol awareness programming directed toward persons under the legal drinking age of twenty-one years. The revenue collected under this subsection shall be deposited in the liquor revolving fund.

(7) The tax imposed in RCW 82.08.020, as now or hereafter amended, shall not apply to sales of spirits or strong beer in the original package.

((~~(7)~~)) (8) The taxes imposed in this section shall be paid by the buyer to the seller, and each seller shall collect from the buyer the full amount of the tax payable in respect to each taxable sale under this section. The taxes required by this section to be collected by the seller shall be stated separately from the selling price and for purposes of determining the tax due from the buyer to the seller, it shall be conclusively presumed that the selling price quoted in any price list does not include the taxes imposed by this section.

((~~(8)~~)) (9) As used in this section, the terms, "spirits," "strong beer," and "package" shall have the meaning ascribed to them in chapter 66.04 RCW.

Sec. 5. RCW 66.08.026 and 1983 c 160 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

All administrative expenses of the board incurred on and after April 1, 1963 shall be appropriated and paid from the liquor revolving fund. These administrative expenses shall include, but not be limited to: The salaries and expenses of the board and its employees, the cost of establishing, leasing, maintaining, and operating state liquor stores and warehouses, legal services, annual or other audits, and other general costs of conducting the business of the board. The administrative expenses shall not, however, be deemed to include costs of liquor and lottery tickets purchased, the cost of transportation and delivery to the point of distribution, other costs pertaining to the acquisition and receipt of liquor and lottery tickets, packaging and repackaging of liquor, sales tax, and those amounts distributed pursuant to RCW 66.08.180, 66.08.190, 66.08.200, 66.08.210 and 66.08.220. However, the amount of tax collected under RCW 66.24.210(5), 66.24.290(5), and 82.08.150(6) shall be available, without further appropriation, for the board to use for alcohol awareness programs directed toward youth under the legal drinking age of twenty-one years.

Sec. 6. RCW 82.08.160 and 1982 1st ex.s. c 35 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

On or before the twenty-fifth day of each month, all taxes collected under RCW 82.08.150 during the preceding month shall be remitted to the state department of revenue, to be deposited with the state treasurer, except as otherwise provided. Upon receipt of such moneys the state treasurer shall credit sixty-five percent of the sums collected and remitted under RCW 82.08.150 (1) and (2) and one hundred percent of the sums collected and remitted under RCW 82.08.150 (3) and (4) to the state general fund and thirty-five percent of the sums collected and remitted under RCW 82.08.150 (1) and (2) to a fund which is hereby created to be known as the "liquor excise tax fund." The tax collected under RCW 82.08.150(6) shall remain in the liquor revolving fund for the board's use in alcohol awareness programming.