BILL REQ. #:  S-4030.1 

Read first time 01/22/10.   Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection.

     AN ACT Relating to special occasion licenses; and amending RCW 66.28.310.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 66.28.310 and 2009 c 506 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Nothing in RCW 66.28.305 prohibits an industry member from providing retailers branded promotional items which are of nominal value, singly or in the aggregate. Such items include but are not limited to: Trays, lighters, blotters, postcards, pencils, coasters, menu cards, meal checks, napkins, clocks, mugs, glasses, bottles or can openers, corkscrews, matches, printed recipes, shirts, hats, visors, and other similar items. Branded promotional items:
     (i) Must be used exclusively by the retailer or its employees in a manner consistent with its license;
     (ii) Must bear imprinted advertising matter of the industry member only;
     (iii) May be provided by industry members only to retailers and their employees and may not be provided by or through retailers or their employees to retail customers; and
     (iv) May not be targeted to or appeal principally to youth.
     (b) An industry member is not obligated to provide any such branded promotional items, and a retailer may not require an industry member to provide such branded promotional items as a condition for selling any alcohol to the retailer.
     (c) Any industry member or retailer or any other person asserting that the provision of branded promotional items as allowed in (a) of this subsection has resulted or is more likely than not to result in undue influence or an adverse impact on public health and safety, or is otherwise inconsistent with the criteria in (a) of this subsection may file a complaint with the board. Upon receipt of a complaint the board may conduct such investigation as it deems appropriate in the circumstances. If the investigation reveals the provision of branded promotional items has resulted in or is more likely than not to result in undue influence or has resulted or is more likely than not to result in an adverse impact on public health and safety or is otherwise inconsistent with (a) of this subsection the board may issue an administrative violation notice to the industry member, to the retailer, or both. The recipient of the administrative violation notice may request a hearing under chapter 34.05 RCW.
     (2) Nothing in RCW 66.28.305 prohibits:
     (a) An industry member from providing to a special occasion licensee and a special occasion licensee from receiving services for:
     (((a))) (i) Installation of draft beer dispensing equipment or advertising; or
     (((b))) (ii) Advertising, pouring, or dispensing of beer or wine at a beer or wine tasting exhibition or judging event; or
     (b) Special occasion licensees from paying for products immediately following the end of the special occasion event; or
     (c) Wineries or breweries that are participating in a special occasion event from providing table fees to the special occasion licensee.
     (3) Nothing in RCW 66.28.305 prohibits industry members from performing, and retailers from accepting the service of building, rotating, and restocking displays and stockroom inventories; rotating and rearranging can and bottle displays of their own products; providing point of sale material and brand signs; pricing case goods of their own brands; and performing such similar business services consistent with board rules, or personal services as described in subsection (5) of this section.
     (4) Nothing in RCW 66.28.305 prohibits:
     (a) Industry members from listing on their internet web sites information related to retailers who sell or promote their products, including direct links to the retailers' internet web sites; and
     (b) Retailers from listing on their internet web sites information related to industry members whose products those retailers sell or promote, including direct links to the industry members' web sites; or
     (c) Industry members and retailers from producing, jointly or together with regional, state, or local industry associations, brochures and materials promoting tourism in Washington state which contain information regarding retail licensees, industry members, and their products.
     (5) Nothing in RCW 66.28.305 prohibits the performance of personal services offered from time to time by a domestic winery or certificate of approval holder to retailers when the personal services are (a) conducted at a licensed premises, and (b) intended to inform, educate, or enhance customers' knowledge or experience of the manufacturer's products. The performance of personal services may include participation and pouring, bottle signing events, and other similar informational or educational activities at the premises of a retailer holding a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, a wine and/or beer restaurant license, a specialty wine shop license, a special occasion license, or a private club license. A domestic winery or certificate of approval holder is not obligated to perform any such personal services, and a retail licensee may not require a domestic winery or certificate of approval holder to conduct any personal service as a condition for selling any alcohol to the retail licensee. Except as provided in RCW 66.28.150, the cost of sampling may not be borne, directly or indirectly, by any domestic winery or certificate of approval holder or any distributor. Nothing in this section prohibits wineries, certificate of approval holders, and retail licensees from identifying the producers on private labels authorized under RCW 66.24.400, 66.24.425, and 66.24.450.
     (6) Nothing in RCW 66.28.305 prohibits an industry member from entering into an arrangement with any holder of a sports entertainment facility license or an affiliated business for brand advertising at the licensed facility or promoting events held at the sports entertainment facility as authorized under RCW 66.24.570.