Title: An act relating to allowing spas to serve wine to their customers who are twenty-one years of age or older.

Brief Description: Allowing spas to serve wine to their customers.

Sponsors: Senators Schoesler, Kohl-Welles, Parlette and Honeyford.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce, Research & Development: 2/1/06, 2/2/06 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6703 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Parlette, Ranking Minority Member; Brown, Hewitt, Honeyford, Keiser and Prentice.

Staff: Jennifer Strus (786-7316)

Background: For an entity to serve alcohol on the premises, it must have the appropriate license issued by the Liquor Control Board. To obtain a license, the entity seeking it must serve food.

Summary of Substitute Bill: A spa or art gallery may offer one glass of wine to a customer for consumption on the spa's or art gallery's premises. The customer must be at least 21 years old and the spa must have legally obtained the wine. A spa that provides massages may not offer a glass of wine to a customer until after the massage is completed.

"Spa" is defined as a business offering beauty services including shampooing, cutting, styling or dyeing hair; manicures, pedicures, facials, massages; and the use of body toning equipment. "Art gallery" is defined as a room or building in which works of art are exhibited or sold.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Restricting the offering of wine to customers who have gone to a spa for a massage is added. Art galleries are added to the list of entities that may offer customers a complimentary glass of wine. A definition of "art gallery" is added.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: Many spas currently offer a glass of wine as part of the relaxing spa experience. Many were not aware that to do so is a violation of the liquor laws. This bill is needed to assist those businesses who would like to offer this service to their clients.

Testimony Against: None.

Testimony Other: It is serious to combine therapeutic massage with alcohol; therefore, an amendment to prohibit spas providing massage services from offering a glass of wine until the massage is completed is needed.

Who Testified: PRO: Sen. Schoesler, Prime Sponsor.

OTHER: Steve Lindstrom, Washington Federation of Private Career Schools and Colleges.