Brief Description: Concerning liquor licenses issued to entities providing concession services on ferries.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development (originally sponsored by Senators Poulsen, Kohl-Welles and Rockefeller).

Hearing Date: 2/22/06

Staff: Sarah Dylag (786-7109).

Background:

According to the Department of Transportation, the Washington State Ferries operates twenty-two ferries with food service areas suitable for alcohol sales. The Washington State Ferries contracts with entities to provide concession services on these ferries. The contracts correspond to particular ferry routes and not to particular ferries.

To serve alcohol, the entities providing concession services must be licensed by the Liquor Control Board as a beer and/or wine restaurant licensee. A separate license is required for each ferry upon which alcohol will be served. If the Washington State Ferries changes ferries on a particular route, the entity providing concession services must hold a separate license for the substitute ferry before serving alcohol on the ferry.

Summary of Bill:

When a beer and/or wine restaurant license is issued to a person who contracts with the Washington State Ferries to provide food and alcohol service on a designated ferry route, that beer and/or wine restaurant license applies to any ferry assigned to the designated route.

A separate license is required for each designated ferry route.

Rules Authority: The bill does not contain provisions addressing the rule-making powers of an agency.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately, except for section 10, which reinstates prior law related to a salary survey after a scheduled expiration and takes effect July 1, 2006.