BILL REQ. #:  S-3835.2 

Read first time 01/23/14.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

     AN ACT Relating to alcohol tasting by students under twenty-one years of age; and amending RCW 66.20.010 and 66.44.270.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 66.20.010 and 2013 c 59 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Upon application in the prescribed form being made to any employee authorized by the board to issue permits, accompanied by payment of the prescribed fee, and upon the employee being satisfied that the applicant should be granted a permit under this title, the employee must issue to the applicant under such regulations and at such fee as may be prescribed by the board a permit of the class applied for, as follows:
     (1) Where the application is for a special permit by a physician or dentist, or by any person in charge of an institution regularly conducted as a hospital or sanitorium for the care of persons in ill health, or as a home devoted exclusively to the care of aged people, a special liquor purchase permit, except that the governor may waive the requirement for a special liquor purchase permit under this subsection pursuant to an order issued under RCW 43.06.220(2);
     (2) Where the application is for a special permit by a person engaged within the state in mechanical or manufacturing business or in scientific pursuits requiring alcohol for use therein, or by any private individual, a special permit to purchase alcohol for the purpose named in the permit, except that the governor may waive the requirement for a special liquor purchase permit under this subsection pursuant to an order issued under RCW 43.06.220(2);
     (3) Where the application is for a special permit to consume liquor at a banquet, at a specified date and place, a special permit to purchase liquor for consumption at such banquet, to such applicants as may be fixed by the board;
     (4) Where the application is for a special permit to consume liquor on the premises of a business not licensed under this title, a special permit to purchase liquor for consumption thereon for such periods of time and to such applicants as may be fixed by the board;
     (5) Where the application is for a special permit by a manufacturer to import or purchase within the state alcohol, malt, and other materials containing alcohol to be used in the manufacture of liquor, or other products, a special permit;
     (6) Where the application is for a special permit by a person operating a drug store to purchase liquor at retail prices only, to be thereafter sold by such person on the prescription of a physician, a special liquor purchase permit, except that the governor may waive the requirement for a special liquor purchase permit under this subsection pursuant to an order issued under RCW 43.06.220(2);
     (7) Where the application is for a special permit by an authorized representative of a military installation operated by or for any of the armed forces within the geographical boundaries of the state of Washington, a special permit to purchase liquor for use on such military installation;
     (8) Where the application is for a special permit by a vendor that manufactures or sells a product which cannot be effectively presented to potential buyers without serving it with liquor or by a manufacturer, importer, or distributor, or representative thereof, to serve liquor without charge to delegates and guests at a convention of a trade association composed of licensees of the board, when the said liquor is served in a hospitality room or from a booth in a board-approved suppliers' display room at the convention, and when the liquor so served is for consumption in the said hospitality room or display room during the convention, anything in this title to the contrary notwithstanding. Any such spirituous liquor must be purchased from a spirits retailer or distributor, and any such liquor is subject to the taxes imposed by RCW 66.24.290 and 66.24.210;
     (9) Where the application is for a special permit by a manufacturer, importer, or distributor, or representative thereof, to donate liquor for a reception, breakfast, luncheon, or dinner for delegates and guests at a convention of a trade association composed of licensees of the board, when the liquor so donated is for consumption at the said reception, breakfast, luncheon, or dinner during the convention, anything in this title to the contrary notwithstanding. Any such spirituous liquor must be purchased from a spirits retailer or distributor, and any such liquor is subject to the taxes imposed by RCW 66.24.290 and 66.24.210;
     (10) Where the application is for a special permit by a manufacturer, importer, or distributor, or representative thereof, to donate and/or serve liquor without charge to delegates and guests at an international trade fair, show, or exposition held under the auspices of a federal, state, or local governmental entity or organized and promoted by a nonprofit organization, anything in this title to the contrary notwithstanding. Any such spirituous liquor must be purchased from a liquor spirits retailer or distributor, and any such liquor is subject to the taxes imposed by RCW 66.24.290 and 66.24.210;
     (11) Where the application is for an annual special permit by a person operating a bed and breakfast lodging facility to donate or serve wine or beer without charge to overnight guests of the facility if the wine or beer is for consumption on the premises of the facility. "Bed and breakfast lodging facility," as used in this subsection, means a facility offering from one to eight lodging units and breakfast to travelers and guests;
     (12) Where the application is for a special permit to allow tasting of alcohol by persons at least eighteen years of age under the following circumstances:
     (a) The application is from a community or technical college as defined in RCW 28B.50.030, a regional university, or a state university;
     (b) The person who is permitted to taste under this subsection is enrolled as a student in a required or elective class that is part of a culinary, sommelier, wine business, enology, viticulture, wine technology, beer technology, or spirituous technology-related degree program;
     (c) The alcohol served to any person in the degree-related programs under (b) of this subsection is tasted but not consumed for the purposes of educational training as part of the class curriculum with the approval of the educational provider;
     (d) The service and tasting of alcoholic beverages is supervised by a faculty or staff member of the educational provider who is twenty-one years of age or older. The supervising faculty or staff member shall possess a class 12 or 13 alcohol server permit under the provisions of RCW 66.20.310;
     (e) The enrolled student permitted to taste the alcoholic beverages does not purchase the alcoholic beverages; and
     (f) The permit fee for the special permit provided for in this subsection (12) shall be waived by the board.

Sec. 2   RCW 66.44.270 and 2013 c 112 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) It is unlawful for any person to sell, give, or otherwise supply liquor to any person under the age of twenty-one years or permit any person under that age to consume liquor on his or her premises or on any premises under his or her control. For the purposes of this subsection, "premises" includes real property, houses, buildings, and other structures, and motor vehicles and watercraft. A violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor punishable as provided for in chapter 9A.20 RCW.
     (2)(a) It is unlawful for any person under the age of twenty-one years to possess, consume, or otherwise acquire any liquor. A violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor punishable as provided for in chapter 9A.20 RCW.
     (b) It is unlawful for a person under the age of twenty-one years to be in a public place, or to be in a motor vehicle in a public place, while exhibiting the effects of having consumed liquor. For purposes of this subsection, exhibiting the effects of having consumed liquor means that a person has the odor of liquor on his or her breath and either: (i) Is in possession of or close proximity to a container that has or recently had liquor in it; or (ii) by speech, manner, appearance, behavior, lack of coordination, or otherwise, exhibits that he or she is under the influence of liquor. This subsection (2)(b) does not apply if the person is in the presence of a parent or guardian or has consumed or is consuming liquor under circumstances described in subsection (4), (5), or (((6))) (7) of this section.
     (3) Subsections (1) and (2)(a) of this section do not apply to liquor given or permitted to be given to a person under the age of twenty-one years by a parent or guardian and consumed in the presence of the parent or guardian. This subsection shall not authorize consumption or possession of liquor by a person under the age of twenty-one years on any premises licensed under chapter 66.24 RCW.
     (4) This section does not apply to liquor given for medicinal purposes to a person under the age of twenty-one years by a parent, guardian, physician, or dentist.
     (5) This section does not apply to liquor given to a person under the age of twenty-one years when such liquor is being used in connection with religious services and the amount consumed is the minimal amount necessary for the religious service.
     (6) This section does not apply to liquor provided to students under twenty-one years of age in accordance with a special permit issued under RCW 66.20.010(12).
     (7)(a) A person under the age of twenty-one years acting in good faith who seeks medical assistance for someone experiencing alcohol poisoning shall not be charged or prosecuted under subsection (2)(a) of this section, if the evidence for the charge was obtained as a result of the person seeking medical assistance.
     (b) A person under the age of twenty-one years who experiences alcohol poisoning and is in need of medical assistance shall not be charged or prosecuted under subsection (2)(a) of this section, if the evidence for the charge was obtained as a result of the poisoning and need for medical assistance.
     (c) The protection in this subsection shall not be grounds for suppression of evidence in other criminal charges.
     (((7))) (8) Conviction or forfeiture of bail for a violation of this section by a person under the age of twenty-one years at the time of such conviction or forfeiture shall not be a disqualification of that person to acquire a license to sell or dispense any liquor after that person has attained the age of twenty-one years.