BILL REQ. #:  H-0549.3 

Read first time 01/31/2005.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

     AN ACT Relating to sampling activities of licensees under Title 66 RCW; amending RCW 66.24.360, 66.24.371, 66.28.040, and 66.28.155; and reenacting and amending RCW 66.28.010.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 66.24.360 and 2003 c 167 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     There shall be a beer and/or wine retailer's license to be designated as a grocery store license to sell beer, strong beer, and/or wine at retail in bottles, cans, and original containers, not to be consumed upon the premises where sold, at any store other than the state liquor stores.
     (1) Licensees obtaining a written endorsement from the board may also sell malt liquor in kegs or other containers capable of holding less than five and one-half gallons of liquid.
     (2) The annual fee for the grocery store license is one hundred fifty dollars for each store.
     (3)(a) Licensees under this section may provide, free or for a charge, single-serving samples of two ounces or less, but no more than a total of eight ounces, to customers for the purpose of sales promotion if the licensees operate fully enclosed retail areas encompassing at least twenty thousand square feet. Sampling activities of licensees under this section are subject to RCW 66.28.010 and 66.28.040.
     (b) Except as provided in this subsection, manufacturers, importers, and distributors of liquor may not bear the direct or the indirect costs of providing any samples. Domestic breweries, microbreweries, and certificate of approval holders may bear both the direct and the indirect costs of providing samples of their own brands of beer. Domestic wineries may bear only the indirect costs of providing samples of their own brands of wine.
     (c) The service area and facilities must be located within the licensee's fully enclosed retail area, and must be of a size and design such that the licensee can observe and control persons in the area to ensure that persons under twenty-one years of age and apparently intoxicated persons cannot possess or consume alcohol. Customers must remain in the service area while consuming samples.
     (4) The board shall issue a restricted grocery store license authorizing the licensee to sell beer and only table wine, if the board finds upon issuance or renewal of the license that the sale of strong beer or fortified wine would be against the public interest. In determining the public interest, the board shall consider at least the following factors:
     (a) The likelihood that the applicant will sell strong beer or fortified wine to persons who are intoxicated;
     (b) Law enforcement problems in the vicinity of the applicant's establishment that may arise from persons purchasing strong beer or fortified wine at the establishment; and
     (c) Whether the sale of strong beer or fortified wine would be detrimental to or inconsistent with a government-operated or funded alcohol treatment or detoxification program in the area.
     If the board receives no evidence or objection that the sale of strong beer or fortified wine would be against the public interest, it shall issue or renew the license without restriction, as applicable. The burden of establishing that the sale of strong beer or fortified wine by the licensee would be against the public interest is on those persons objecting.
     (((4))) (5) Licensees holding a grocery store license must maintain a minimum three thousand dollar inventory of food products for human consumption, not including pop, beer, strong beer, or wine.
     (((5))) (6) Upon approval by the board, the grocery store licensee may also receive an endorsement to permit the international export of beer, strong beer, and wine.
     (a) Any beer, strong beer, or wine sold under this endorsement must have been purchased from a licensed beer or wine distributor licensed to do business within the state of Washington.
     (b) Any beer, strong beer, and wine sold under this endorsement must be intended for consumption outside the state of Washington and the United States and appropriate records must be maintained by the licensee.
     (c) A holder of this special endorsement to the grocery store license shall be considered not in violation of RCW 66.28.010.
     (d) Any beer, strong beer, or wine sold under this license must be sold at a price no less than the acquisition price paid by the holder of the license.
     (e) The annual cost of this endorsement is five hundred dollars and is in addition to the license fees paid by the licensee for a grocery store license.

Sec. 2   RCW 66.24.371 and 2003 c 167 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There shall be a beer and/or wine retailer's license to be designated as a beer and/or wine specialty shop license to sell beer, strong beer, and/or wine at retail in bottles, cans, and original containers, not to be consumed upon the premises where sold, at any store other than the state liquor stores. Licensees obtaining a written endorsement from the board may also sell malt liquor in kegs or other containers capable of holding less than five and one-half gallons of liquid. The annual fee for the beer and/or wine specialty shop license is one hundred dollars for each store.
     (2) Licensees under this section may provide, free or for a charge, single-serving samples of two ounces or less to customers for the purpose of sales promotion. Sampling activities of licensees under this section are subject to RCW 66.28.010 and 66.28.040 ((and)). Except as provided in this subsection, the cost of sampling under this section may not be borne, directly or indirectly, by any manufacturer, importer, or distributor of liquor. Domestic breweries, microbreweries, and certificate of approval holders may bear both the direct and the indirect costs of providing samples of their own brands of beer. Domestic wineries may bear only the indirect costs of providing samples of their own brands of wine.
     (3) The board shall issue a restricted beer and/or wine specialty shop license, authorizing the licensee to sell beer and only table wine, if the board finds upon issuance or renewal of the license that the sale of strong beer or fortified wine would be against the public interest. In determining the public interest, the board shall consider at least the following factors:
     (a) The likelihood that the applicant will sell strong beer or fortified wine to persons who are intoxicated;
     (b) Law enforcement problems in the vicinity of the applicant's establishment that may arise from persons purchasing strong beer or fortified wine at the establishment; and
     (c) Whether the sale of strong beer or fortified wine would be detrimental to or inconsistent with a government-operated or funded alcohol treatment or detoxification program in the area.
     If the board receives no evidence or objection that the sale of strong beer or fortified wine would be against the public interest, it shall issue or renew the license without restriction, as applicable. The burden of establishing that the sale of strong beer or fortified wine by the licensee would be against the public interest is on those persons objecting.
     (4) Licensees holding a beer and/or wine specialty shop license must maintain a minimum three thousand dollar wholesale inventory of beer, strong beer, and/or wine.

Sec. 3   RCW 66.28.010 and 2004 c 160 s 9 and 2004 c 62 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) No manufacturer, importer, distributor, or authorized representative, or person financially interested, directly or indirectly, in such business; whether resident or nonresident, shall have any financial interest, direct or indirect, in any licensed retail business, unless the retail business is owned by a corporation in which a manufacturer or importer has no direct stock ownership and there are no interlocking officers and directors, the retail license is held by a corporation that is not owned directly or indirectly by a manufacturer or importer, the sales of liquor are incidental to the primary activity of operating the property as a hotel, alcoholic beverages produced by the manufacturer or importer or their subsidiaries are not sold at the licensed premises, and the board reviews the ownership and proposed method of operation of all involved entities and determines that there will not be an unacceptable level of control or undue influence over the operation or the retail licensee; nor shall any manufacturer, importer, distributor, or authorized representative own any of the property upon which such licensed persons conduct their business; nor shall any such licensed person, under any arrangement whatsoever, conduct his or her business upon property in which any manufacturer, importer, distributor, or authorized representative has any interest unless title to that property is owned by a corporation in which a manufacturer has no direct stock ownership and there are no interlocking officers or directors, the retail license is held by a corporation that is not owned directly or indirectly by the manufacturer, the sales of liquor are incidental to the primary activity of operating the property either as a hotel or as an amphitheater offering live musical and similar live entertainment activities to the public, alcoholic beverages produced by the manufacturer or any of its subsidiaries are not sold at the licensed premises, and the board reviews the ownership and proposed method of operation of all involved entities and determines that there will not be an unacceptable level of control or undue influence over the operation of the retail licensee. Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4) of this section, no manufacturer, importer, distributor, or authorized representative shall advance moneys or moneys' worth to a licensed person under an arrangement, nor shall such licensed person receive, under an arrangement, an advance of moneys or moneys' worth. "Person" as used in this section only shall not include those state or federally chartered banks, state or federally chartered savings and loan associations, state or federally chartered mutual savings banks, or institutional investors which are not controlled directly or indirectly by a manufacturer, importer, distributor, or authorized representative as long as the bank, savings and loan association, or institutional investor does not influence or attempt to influence the purchasing practices of the retailer with respect to alcoholic beverages. Except as otherwise provided in this section, no manufacturer, importer, distributor, or authorized representative shall be eligible to receive or hold a retail license under this title, nor shall such manufacturer, importer, distributor, or authorized representative sell at retail any liquor as herein defined. A corporation granted an exemption under this subsection may use debt instruments issued in connection with financing construction or operations of its facilities.
     (b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a licensed domestic brewery or microbrewery from being licensed as a retailer pursuant to chapter 66.24 RCW for the purpose of selling beer or wine at retail on the brewery premises and nothing in this section shall prohibit a domestic winery from being licensed as a retailer pursuant to chapter 66.24 RCW for the purpose of selling beer or wine at retail on the winery premises. Such beer and wine so sold at retail shall be subject to the taxes imposed by RCW 66.24.290 and 66.24.210 and to reporting and bonding requirements as prescribed by regulations adopted by the board pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW, and beer and wine that is not produced by the brewery or winery shall be purchased from a licensed beer or wine distributor.
     (c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a licensed distiller, domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, or a lessee of a licensed domestic brewer, microbrewery, or domestic winery, from being licensed as a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant pursuant to chapter 66.24 RCW for the purpose of selling liquor at a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant premises on the property on which the primary manufacturing facility of the licensed distiller, domestic brewer, microbrewery, or domestic winery is located or on contiguous property owned or leased by the licensed distiller, domestic brewer, microbrewery, or domestic winery as prescribed by rules adopted by the board pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW.
     (d) Nothing in this section prohibits retail licensees with a caterer's endorsement issued under RCW 66.24.320 or 66.24.420 from operating on a domestic winery premises.
     (2) Financial interest, direct or indirect, as used in this section, shall include any interest, whether by stock ownership, mortgage, lien, or through interlocking directors, or otherwise. Pursuant to rules promulgated by the board in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW manufacturers, distributors, and importers may perform, and retailers may accept the service of building, rotating and restocking case displays and stock room inventories; rotating and rearranging can and bottle displays of their own products; provide point of sale material and brand signs; price case goods of their own brands; and perform such similar normal business services as the board may by regulation prescribe.
     (3)(a) This section does not prohibit a manufacturer, importer, or distributor from providing services to a special occasion licensee for: (i) Installation of draft beer dispensing equipment or advertising, (ii) advertising, pouring, or dispensing of beer or wine at a beer or wine tasting exhibition or judging event, or (iii) a special occasion licensee from receiving any such services as may be provided by a manufacturer, importer, or distributor. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a retail licensee, or any person financially interested, directly or indirectly, in such a retail licensee from having a financial interest, direct or indirect, in a business which provides, for a compensation commensurate in value to the services provided, bottling, canning or other services to a manufacturer, so long as the retail licensee or person interested therein has no direct financial interest in or control of said manufacturer.
     (b) A person holding contractual rights to payment from selling a liquor distributor's business and transferring the license shall not be deemed to have a financial interest under this section if the person (i) lacks any ownership in or control of the distributor, (ii) is not employed by the distributor, and (iii) does not influence or attempt to influence liquor purchases by retail liquor licensees from the distributor.
     (c) The board shall adopt such rules as are deemed necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of subsection (3)(a) of this section in accordance with the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW.
     (4) With respect to sampling activities under RCW 66.24.360 and 66.24.371, this section does not prohibit: (a) A domestic brewery, microbrewery, or certificate of approval holder from furnishing its own brands of beer to a licensee; or (b) a domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, or certificate of approval holder from pouring or dispensing samples of its own brands of beer or wine for a licensee's customers. Such sampling activities, however, may occur no more than eight times per calendar year, no longer than two consecutive days, and no more frequently than once every four weeks.
     (5) A license issued under RCW 66.24.395 does not constitute a retail license for the purposes of this section.
     (((5))) (6) A public house license issued under RCW 66.24.580 does not violate the provisions of this section as to a retailer having an interest directly or indirectly in a liquor-licensed manufacturer.

Sec. 4   RCW 66.28.040 and 2004 c 160 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
     Except as permitted by the board under RCW 66.20.010, no domestic brewery, microbrewery, distributor, distiller, domestic winery, importer, rectifier, certificate of approval holder, or other manufacturer of liquor shall, within the state of Washington, give to any person any liquor; but nothing in this section nor in RCW 66.28.010 shall prevent a domestic brewery, microbrewery, distributor, domestic winery, distiller, certificate of approval holder, or importer from furnishing samples of beer, wine, or spirituous liquor to authorized licensees for the purpose of negotiating a sale, in accordance with regulations adopted by the liquor control board, provided that the samples are subject to taxes imposed by RCW 66.24.290 and 66.24.210, and in the case of spirituous liquor, any product used for samples must be purchased at retail from the board; nothing in this section shall prevent the furnishing of samples of liquor to the board for the purpose of negotiating the sale of liquor to the state liquor control board; nothing in this section shall prevent a domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, distillery, certificate of approval holder, or distributor from furnishing beer, wine, or spirituous liquor for instructional purposes under RCW 66.28.150; nothing in this section shall prevent a domestic winery, certificate of approval holder, or distributor from furnishing wine without charge, subject to the taxes imposed by RCW 66.24.210, to a not-for-profit group organized and operated solely for the purpose of enology or the study of viticulture which has been in existence for at least six months and that uses wine so furnished solely for such educational purposes or a domestic winery, or an out-of-state certificate of approval holder, from furnishing wine without charge or a domestic brewery, or an out-of-state certificate of approval holder, from furnishing beer without charge, subject to the taxes imposed by RCW 66.24.210 or 66.24.290, to a nonprofit charitable corporation or association exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3)) for use consistent with the purpose or purposes entitling it to such exemption; nothing in this section shall prevent a domestic brewery or microbrewery from serving beer without charge, on the brewery premises; nothing in this section shall prevent donations of wine for the purposes of RCW 66.12.180; ((and)) nothing in this section shall prevent a domestic winery from serving wine without charge, on the winery premises; and, with respect to sampling activities under RCW 66.24.360 and 66.24.371, and so long as such sampling activities occur no more than eight times per calendar year, no longer than two consecutive days, and no more frequently than once every four weeks, nothing in this section shall prevent: (1) A domestic brewery, microbrewery, or certificate of approval holder from furnishing its own brands of beer to a licensee; or (2) a domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, or certificate of approval holder from pouring or dispensing samples of its own brands of beer or wine for a licensee's customers.

Sec. 5   RCW 66.28.155 and 2004 c 160 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, distillery, distributor, certificate of approval holder, or its licensed agent may conduct educational activities or provide product information to the consumer on the licensed premises of a retailer. Information on the subject of wine, beer, or spirituous liquor, including but not limited to, the history, nature, quality, and characteristics of a wine, beer, or spirituous liquor, methods of harvest, production, storage, handling, and distribution of a wine, beer, or spirituous liquor, and the general development of the wine, beer, and spirituous liquor industry may be provided by a domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, distillery, distributor, certificate of approval holder, or its licensed agent to the public on the licensed premises of a retailer. The retailer requesting such activity shall attempt to schedule a series of brewery, winery, authorized representative, or distillery and distributor appearances in an effort to equitably represent the industries. Nothing in this section permits a domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, distillery, distributor, certificate of approval holder, or its licensed agent to receive compensation or financial benefit from the educational activities or product information presented on the licensed premises of a retailer. The promotional value of such educational activities or product information shall not be considered advancement of moneys or of moneys' worth within the meaning of RCW 66.28.010.
     (2) A domestic brewery, microbrewery, domestic winery, or certificate of approval holder may pour or dispense single-serving samples of its own brands of beer or wine to customers of grocery store and beer and/or wine specialty shop licensees consistent with the provisions of RCW 66.24.360 and 66.24.371 for the purposes of sales promotion, so long as such sampling activities occur no more than eight times per calendar year, no longer than two consecutive days, and no more frequently than once every four weeks. The promotional value of such services shall not be considered advancement of moneys or of moneys' worth within the meaning of RCW 66.28.010.