Title: An act relating to courses of instruction on beer, wine, and spiritous liquor.

Brief Description: Authorizing licensees and managers to conduct courses of instruction on beer and wine and furnish beer and wine samples.

Sponsors: Representatives Wood, Condotta, Campbell and Chase.

Brief History:

Commerce & Labor: 2/2/05, 2/14/05 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Conway, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Condotta, Ranking Minority Member; Sump, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Crouse and McCoy.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 1 member: Representative Hudgins.

Staff: Erik Van Hagen (786-5793), and Chris Cordes (786-7103).

Background:

Washington generally prohibits breweries, distilleries, wineries, and other producers or distributors of alcohol from furnishing wine, beer and spirits free of charge. However, there are several exceptions to this prohibition. Breweries, distilleries, wineries, and other producers or distributors or their agents are permitted to furnish alcohol free of charge to liquor license holders in conjunction with educational courses of instruction that these producers or distributors conduct relating to their products. These educational programs include instruction regarding the history, nature, values, and characteristics of beer, wine, or spirits, the use of wine lists, and methods of presenting, serving, storing, and handling the beer, wine, or spirits.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

The holders of beer and wine restaurant liquor licenses and spirits, beer, and wine restaurant liquor licenses or their managers are permitted to conduct courses of instruction regarding beer, wine, and spirits, as applicable, for their employees, and provide samples of beer, wine, and spirits free of charge, as applicable, as part of this course of instruction. The alcohol used for sampling must be alcohol that the licensee obtains under its license. The courses of instruction must be given on the premises of the license holder.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The substitute bill permits two classes of retail liquor licensees or their managers to conduct courses of instruction for their employees, rather than all licensees. Sampling must use alcohol the licensee obtains under its license and must be conducted on the premises of the license holder. Finally a technical change is made to the license fee applicable to the spirits, beer, and wine license.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Restaurants can provide educational programs for their employees, but they currently may only be conducted by a wholesaler or winery. This can be difficult to arrange. The bill is narrowly drawn to permit the licensee or manager to conduct courses of instruction and provide free samples to employees as part of the course of instruction. Licensees and their managers are all MAST (mandatory alcohol server training) certified.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Michael Transue, Washington Restaurant Association.

(Neutral) Rick Garza, Liquor Control Board.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.