SB 5560 - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS PASSED LEGISLATURE)

      Transfers the powers and duties to enforce cigarette and tobacco laws to the liquor control board.

      Authorizes an award of up to one thousand dollars for information leading to a conviction for a violation of the act.

      Repeals RCW 82.24.260.

VETO MESSAGE ON SB 5560

                        June 30, 1991

To the Honorable, the Senate

  of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      I am returning herewith, without my approval, Senate Bill No. 5560 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to enforcement of cigarette and tobacco statutes."

      Senate Bill No. 5560 transfers the administration of various taxes relating to tobacco products from the Department of Revenue to the Liquor Control Board.  The primary impetus for this bill was to increase state enforcement efforts with respect to collection of tobacco taxes, and thereby increase state revenue.  To implement this program, it would be necessary to provide the Liquor Control Board with an additional large appropriation and a substantial increase in personnel.

      During the 1991 session, I recommended legislation that would have modernized the management structure of the Liquor Control Board by providing it with a chief executive officer, which it currently lacks.  The legislation also would have provided the agency with an integrated management structure.  I believe both of these changes are needed before the Liquor Control Board assumes additional enforcement responsibilities and substantially increases its staff.  It simply does not make good management sense to burden an agency with more duties without first making the basic structural and organizational changes that will better enable it to handle those duties.

      For these reasons, I have vetoed Senate Bill No. 5560 in its entirety.

                        Respectfully submitted,

                        Booth Gardner

                        Governor