SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1278

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Commerce & Labor, March 27, 1997

Title:  An act relating to requiring beer manufacturers to use the term lager on the outside label of contents of packages containing malt liquor.

Brief Description:  Concerning the labeling of malt liquor packages.

Sponsors:  Representatives K. Schmidt, Hatfield, Mitchell, Pennington, Scott, Mielke, Cody, Honeyford and Delvin.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Commerce & Labor:  3/20/97, 3/27/97 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Schow, Chair; Horn, Vice Chair; Anderson and Newhouse.

Staff:  Tracy Ratzliff (786-7452)

Background:  Labels that appear on bottled malt liquor products must have federal approval and must meet certain state requirements.  State law requires the label to identify the contents, the name of the manufacturer, and the place of manufacture.  Bottles containing malt liquor beverages must use the term beer, ale, malt liquor, stout, or porter.

The term Amalt beverage@ or Amalt liquor@ includes beer, ale, and lager beer.  There is no authority to use the term Alager@ for labeling purposes or in connection with other malt beverages such as ales.

Summary of Bill:  The term Alager@ may appear on labels of malt liquor products.  The term includes all currently identified malt beverages such as beer, ale, lager beer, stout, and porter.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  A beer manufacturer wanted to market a "Christmas Lager" beer.  Technically current law does not allow them to utilize this term on the label of this beer.  This bill will allow manufacturers to use the term "lager" on the labels of their malt beverage products.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  T.K. Bentler, Pyramid Breweries (pro).