S-4844               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 6582

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor (originally sponsored by Senator Lee)

Read first time 2/2/90.

AN ACT Relating to discrimination by clubs; and amending RCW 66.24.450.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 217, Laws of 1937 as last amended by section 18, chapter 5, Laws of 1981 1st ex. sess. and RCW 66.24.450 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No club shall be entitled to a class H license:

          (((1))) (a) Unless such club has been in continuous operation for at least one year immediately prior to the date of its application for such license;

          (((2))) (b) Unless the club premises be constructed and equipped, conducted, managed, and operated to the satisfaction of the board and in accordance with this title and the regulations made thereunder;

          (((3))) (c) Unless the board shall have determined pursuant to any regulations made by it with respect to clubs, that such club is a bona fide club; it being the intent of this section that license shall not be granted to a club which is, or has been, primarily formed or activated to obtain a license to sell liquor, but solely to a bona fide club, where the sale of liquor is incidental to the main purposes of the club, as defined in RCW 66.04.010(5).

(2) Clubs that offer memberships to both men and women shall not be entitled to a class H license if they discriminate on the basis of gender in granting access to facilities and services that are available to all members.  Persons aggrieved by a discriminatory practice shall file a complaint with the board which shall investigate the complaint as a violation of this title.  If the board determines that discrimination has occurred, a notice of revocation shall be issued according to the provisions of RCW 66.08.150.  If the licensee requests a hearing, the board shall promptly notify the complainant of the time and place set for the hearing, and the complainant shall be entitled to present evidence relevant to the complaint.

(3) If, at any time prior to the hearing provided under RCW 66.08.150, the licensee enters into an agreement with the board to end the discriminatory practice, the notice of revocation shall be dismissed or suspended for a period to be determined by the board and, if no further evidence of a violation of subsection (2) of this section occurs during that period, the notice of revocation shall be dismissed.