SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 6584

As Passed Senate, February 17, 2004

Title: An act relating to liquor licensees holding a caterer's endorsement.

Brief Description: Modifying liquor licensing provisions.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senators Hewitt, McAuliffe, Honeyford and Eide).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Commerce & Trade: 1/30/04, 2/6/04 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 2/17/04, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6584 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Honeyford, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Franklin, Keiser and Mulliken.

Staff: Jennifer Strus (786-7316)

Background: Under current law, generally, no manufacturer, importer or distributor of liquor, or other person financially interested in the business may have any financial interest in any licensed retail business.

Spirits, beer and wine restaurants and beer and/or wine restaurants can apply for a caterer's endorsement. This endorsement allows the establishment to remove the types of alcohol it has approval to sell on premises for services at events held by a nonprofit society or organization or private events held by invitation only.

Summary of Bill: A restaurant licensee with a caterer's endorsement may operate on the premises of a domestic winery. Licensees that hold a caterer's endorsement may use this endorsement on a domestic winery premises if (a) agreements between the winery and the licensee are in writing, contain no exclusivity clauses regarding the liquor to be served and are filed with LCB; and (b) the winery and licensee are separately contracted and compensated for their service by people sponsoring the event.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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

Testimony For: This is a good little bill.

Testimony Against: Would like it amended so provisions include domestic breweries and microbreweries.

Testified: PRO: Jean Leonard, Washington Wine Institute; Michael Transue, Washington Restaurant Association; TK Bentler, Washington Brewer's Guild.