Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 314-02-105 What is a beer and/or wine specialty store license?

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 66.24.371, 66.08.030.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The passage of Initiative 1183 has created an issue for beer/wine specialty store licensees that hold a spirits retail license. Beer/wine specialty store licensees are allowed to conduct tastings if over fifty percent of their gross sales are beer and wine. By adding spirits sales to their business it is impossible to sell more than fifty percent beer and wine. Tastings are a large part of promoting Washington wineries and their business. The rule needs to be amended to allow tastings to continue.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

     Process for Developing New Rule: Interested parties can participate in the discussions formulating this rule change by contacting or sending written comments to the agency staff listed below.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Karen McCall, Agency Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 43080, Olympia, WA 98504-3080, (360) 664-1631, fax (360) 664-9689, e-mail rules@liq.wa.gov.

October 10, 2012

Sharon Foster

Chairman