S-3962.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6514

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators T. Sheldon and Kohl‑Welles

Read first time 01/18/2000.  Referred to Committee on Commerce, Trade, Housing & Financial Institutions.

Studying privatization of liquor control board functions.

    AN ACT Relating to a review of liquor control board functions; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) A citizen's review panel is created to develop specific policy recommendations concerning options for privatization of the functions of the Washington state liquor control board.  The review panel will consist of nineteen members appointed by the governor.  The governor shall appoint representatives from the following groups to serve on the panel:

    (a) Two management experts from the private sector;

    (b) One citizen from eastern Washington and one citizen from western Washington;

    (c) One representative from each of the following groups:  Liquor retailers, liquor distributors, and liquor manufacturers;

    (d) Two representatives from state liquor store employees;

    (e) Two representatives from law enforcement;

    (f) Two representatives from local governments;

    (g) Two representatives from county health agencies;

    (h) Two representatives from retail liquor licensees;

    (i) One representative from the liquor control board;

    (j) One representative from the office of the governor.

    (2) When developing options for privatization the citizen's review panel shall consider:

    (a) The differences between the state liquor stores and agency liquor stores and whether they merit different treatment;

    (b) Whether all functions of the liquor control board should be privatized or whether only some of the functions of the board should be privatized;

    (c) What the impact of privatization will be on state employees, liquor sales, state liquor revenues and taxes, liquor prices, and liquor availability.

    (3) The panel shall elect a chair, hire necessary staff, and determine the staff's duties and compensation.  The Washington state liquor control board shall be the fiscal agent for the panel.  The panel shall produce a report and make specific policy recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2000.

                            --- END ---