HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5254

As Amended by the House

BYSenate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Warnke, Tanner, Smitherman, West, Johnson, Newhouse, Bender, Bailey, Zimmerman, Lee, Garrett, Vognild and Moore)

Increasing penalties for the sale of liquor to minors.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (15)

      Signed by Representatives Armstrong, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Brough, Hargrove, Heavey, P. King, Locke, Moyer, Niemi, Padden, Patrick, Schmidt, Scott, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:Bill Perry (786-7123)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 7, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Currently, persons between the ages of 18 and 20 inclusive, who purchase or attempt to purchase liquor are subject to fines in the range of $25 to $100, or imprisonment in the county jail for 30 days, or both.

Individuals who transfer, in any manner, an identification to a minor for the purpose of purchasing liquor are guilty of a misdemeanor; a specific range of penalties is not provided.

The liquor statute does not currently address the commercial preparation of false identification for individuals under the age of 21 for the purposes of purchasing liquor.

SUMMARY:

The penalties are standardized for various crimes relating to the purchasing of alcohol by minors.  The crimes are all designated as misdemeanors which means they carry a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.  A minimum fine of $250 is established, and any sentence involving community service must impose at least 25 hours of such service.

A new crime is created making it illegal to forge and to supply to minors the kinds of identification cards that can be used for purchasing alcohol.  The crime is a gross misdemeanor which means it carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.  A minimum fine of $2,500 is established.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Bruce Roberts, Washington State Licensed Beverage Association; Carter Mitchell, Liquor Control Board.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Current penalties are too low and out of date.  No law currently addresses the growing problem of forged I.D.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.