BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to class H liquor licenses at civic or convention centers; and amending RCW 66.24.420.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 66.24.420 and 1995 c 55 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The class H license shall be issued in accordance with the following schedule of annual fees:

(a) The annual fee for said license, if issued to a club, whether inside or outside of incorporated cities and towns, shall be seven hundred dollars.

(b) The annual fee for said license, if issued to any other class H licensee in incorporated cities and towns, shall be graduated according to the population thereof as follows:

Incorporated

Cities and towns Fees

Less than 20,000 $1,200

20,000 or over $2,000

(c) The annual fee for said license when issued to any other class H licensee outside of incorporated cities and towns shall be: Two thousand dollars; this fee shall be prorated according to the calendar quarters, or portion thereof, during which the licensee is open for business, except in case of suspension or revocation of the license.

(d) Where the license shall be issued to any corporation, association or person operating a bona fide restaurant in an airport terminal facility providing service to transient passengers with more than one place where liquor is to be dispensed and sold, such license shall be issued upon the payment of the annual fee, which shall be a master license and shall permit such sale within and from one such place. Such license may be extended to additional places on the premises at the discretion of the board and a duplicate license may be issued for each such additional place: PROVIDED, That the holder of a master license for a restaurant in an airport terminal facility shall be required to maintain in a substantial manner at least one place on the premises for preparing, cooking, and serving of complete meals, and such food service shall be available on request in other licensed places on the premises: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That an additional license fee of twenty-five percent of the annual master license fee shall be required for such duplicate licenses.

(e) Where the license shall be issued to any corporation, association, or person operating dining places at a publicly or privately owned civic or convention center((s)) with facilities for sports, entertainment, ((~~and~~)) or conventions, or a combination thereof, with more than one place where liquor is to be dispensed and sold, such license shall be issued upon the payment of the annual fee, which shall be a master license and shall permit such sale within and from one such place. Such license may be extended to additional places on the premises at the discretion of the board and a duplicate license may be issued for each such additional place: PROVIDED, That the holder of a master license for a dining place at such a publicly or privately owned civic or convention center shall be required to maintain in a substantial manner at least one place on the premises for preparing, cooking, and serving of complete meals, and food service shall be available on request in other licensed places on the premises: PROVIDED FURTHER, That an additional license fee of ten dollars shall be required for such duplicate licenses.

(f) Where the license shall be issued to any corporation, association or person operating more than one building containing dining places at privately owned facilities which are open to the public and where there is a continuity of ownership of all adjacent property, such license shall be issued upon the payment of an annual fee which shall be a master license and shall permit such sale within and from one such place. Such license may be extended to the additional dining places on the property or, in the case of a class H licensed hotel, property owned or controlled by leasehold interest by that hotel for use as a conference or convention center or banquet facility open to the general public for special events in the same metropolitan area, at the discretion of the board and a duplicate license may be issued for each additional place: PROVIDED, That the holder of the master license for the dining place shall not offer alcoholic beverages for sale, service, and consumption at the additional place unless food service is available at both the location of the master license and the duplicate license: PROVIDED FURTHER, That an additional license fee of twenty dollars shall be required for such duplicate licenses.

(2) The board, so far as in its judgment is reasonably possible, shall confine class H licenses to the business districts of cities and towns and other communities, and not grant such licenses in residential districts, nor within the immediate vicinity of schools, without being limited in the administration of this subsection to any specific distance requirements.

(3) The board shall have discretion to issue class H licenses outside of cities and towns in the state of Washington. The purpose of this subsection is to enable the board, in its discretion, to license in areas outside of cities and towns and other communities, establishments which are operated and maintained primarily for the benefit of tourists, vacationers and travelers, and also golf and country clubs, and common carriers operating dining, club and buffet cars, or boats.

(4) The total number of class H licenses issued in the state of Washington by the board, not including those class H licenses issued to clubs, shall not in the aggregate at any time exceed one license for each fifteen hundred of population in the state, determined according to the yearly population determination developed by the office of financial management pursuant to RCW 43.62.030.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, the board shall refuse a class H license to any applicant if in the opinion of the board the class H licenses already granted for the particular locality are adequate for the reasonable needs of the community.