H-1479.1  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 1951

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Clements, B. Chandler, G. Chandler, Lisk and Mulliken

 

Read first time 02/09/2001.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Allowing restaurants and private clubs to sell wine for off-premises consumption.


    AN ACT Relating to the sale of wine for off-premises consumption; and amending RCW 66.24.450, 66.24.452, 66.24.425, and 66.24.400.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 66.24.450 and 1999 c 281 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) No club shall be entitled to a spirits, beer, and wine private club license:

    (a) Unless such private club has been in continuous operation for at least one year immediately prior to the date of its application for such license;

    (b) Unless the private club premises be constructed and equipped, conducted, managed, and operated to the satisfaction of the board and in accordance with this title and the regulations made thereunder;

    (c) Unless the board shall have determined pursuant to any regulations made by it with respect to private clubs, that such private club is a bona fide private club; it being the intent of this section that license shall not be granted to a club which is, or has been, primarily formed or activated to obtain a license to sell liquor, but solely to a bona fide private club, where the sale of liquor is incidental to the main purposes of the spirits, beer, and wine private club, as defined in RCW 66.04.010(7).

    (2) The annual fee for a spirits, beer, and wine private club license, whether inside or outside of an incorporated city or town, is seven hundred twenty dollars per year.

    (3) The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine private club license that allows up to forty nonclub, member-sponsored events using club liquor.  Visitors and guests may attend these events only by invitation of the sponsoring member or members.  These events may not be open to the general public.  The fee for the endorsement shall be an annual fee of nine hundred dollars.  Upon the board's request, the holder of the endorsement must provide the board or the board's designee with the following information at least seventy-two hours prior to the event:  The date, time, and location of the event; the name of the sponsor of the event; and a brief description of the purpose of the event.

    (4) The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine private club license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine private club license to sell for off-premises consumption:  (a) Wine vinted and bottled in the state of Washington and carrying a label exclusive to the license holder selling the wine; and (b) sparkling wine from California bottled exclusively for the license holder selling the sparkling wine.  Spirits and beer may not be sold for off-premises consumption under this section.  The annual fee for the endorsement under this chapter is one hundred twenty dollars.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 66.24.452 and 1997 c 321 s 31 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) There shall be a beer and wine license to be issued to a private club for sale of beer and wine for on-premises consumption.

    (2) Beer and wine sold by the licensee may be on tap or by open bottles or cans.

    (3) The fee for the private club beer and wine license is one hundred eighty dollars per year.

    (4) The board may issue an endorsement to the private club beer and wine license that allows the holder of a private club beer and wine license to sell for off-premises consumption:  (a) Wine vinted and bottled in the state of Washington and carrying a label exclusive to the license holder selling the wine; and (b) sparkling wine from California bottled exclusively for the license holder selling the sparkling wine.  Spirits and beer may not be sold for off-premises consumption under this section.  The annual fee for the endorsement under this chapter is one hundred twenty dollars.

 

    Sec. 3.  RCW 66.24.425 and 1998 c 126 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The board may, in its discretion, issue a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to a business which qualifies as a "restaurant" as that term is defined in RCW 66.24.410 in all respects except that the business does not serve the general public but, through membership qualification, selectively restricts admission to the business.  For purposes of RCW 66.24.400 and 66.24.420, all licenses issued under this section shall be considered spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licenses and shall be subject to all requirements, fees, and qualifications in this title, or in rules adopted by the board, as are applicable to spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licenses generally except that no service to the general public may be required.

    (2) No license shall be issued under this section to a business:

    (a) Which shall not have been in continuous operation for at least one year immediately prior to the date of its application; or

    (b) Which denies membership or admission to any person because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical handicap.

    (3) The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to sell for off-premises consumption:  (a) Wine vinted and bottled in the state of Washington and carrying a label exclusive to the license holder selling the wine; and (b) sparkling wine from California bottled exclusively for the license holder selling the sparkling wine.  Spirits and beer may not be sold for off-premises consumption under this section.  The annual fee for the endorsement under this chapter is one hundred twenty dollars.

 

    Sec. 4.  RCW 66.24.400 and 1998 c 126 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) There shall be a retailer's license, to be known and designated as a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, to sell spirituous liquor by the individual glass, beer, and wine, at retail, for consumption on the premises, including mixed drinks and cocktails compounded or mixed on the premises only:  PROVIDED, That a hotel, or club licensed under chapter 70.62 RCW with overnight sleeping accommodations, that is licensed under this section may sell liquor by the bottle to registered guests of the hotel or club for consumption in guest rooms, hospitality rooms, or at banquets in the hotel or club:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That a patron of a bona fide hotel, restaurant, or club licensed under this section may remove from the premises recorked or recapped in its original container any portion of wine which was purchased for consumption with a meal, and registered guests who have purchased liquor from the hotel or club by the bottle may remove from the premises any unused portion of such liquor in its original container.  Such license may be issued only to bona fide restaurants, hotels and clubs, and to dining, club and buffet cars on passenger trains, and to dining places on passenger boats and airplanes, and to dining places at civic centers with facilities for sports, entertainment, and conventions, and to such other establishments operated and maintained primarily for the benefit of tourists, vacationers and travelers as the board shall determine are qualified to have, and in the discretion of the board should have, a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license under the provisions and limitations of this title.

    (2) The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to sell for off-premises consumption:  (a) Wine vinted and bottled in the state of Washington and carrying a label exclusive to the license holder selling the wine; and (b) sparkling wine from California bottled exclusively for the license holder selling the sparkling wine.  Spirits and beer may not be sold for off-premises consumption under this section.  The annual fee for the endorsement under this chapter is one hundred twenty dollars.

 


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