FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 5563

                           C 55 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Relating to class H liquor licenses issued to hotels operating conference or convention centers or having banquet facilities on property owned or through leasehold interest by the licensed hotel.

Sponsors:  Senators West, Pelz and McCaslin.

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background:  Currently, only organizations servicing events in publicly owned facilities, such as civic centers and community halls, can extend their class H liquor licenses to cover them.  Some hotels own convention centers, ballrooms, and the like, that are extensions of the hotel's hospitality operations.  Hotel corporations with facilities that are not located within a hotel can only service these facilities with a class I license, which restricts the storage and delivery of liquor.  These hotels may not extend their existing class H licenses to these offsite buildings.

Summary:  Class H licensed hotels may extend their license to property owned or controlled by a leasehold interest for use as a conference or convention center or banquet facility.  These facilities are open to the general public for special events and must be in the same metropolitan area as the hotel.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    46 0

House     92 4

Effective:  July 23, 1995