H-0710.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1855

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Hunt, Conway, Clements, Ericksen, Pennington and Kenney

Read first time 02/06/2001.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Allowing private clubs to serve liquor at special events.

    AN ACT Relating to liquor by the drink at special events at restricted clubs; and amending RCW 66.24.425.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 66.24.425 and 1998 c 126 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The board may, in its discretion, issue a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to a business which qualifies as a "restaurant" as that term is defined in RCW 66.24.410 in all respects except that the business does not serve the general public but, through membership qualification, selectively restricts admission to the business.  For purposes of RCW 66.24.400 and 66.24.420, all licenses issued under this section shall be considered spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licenses and shall be subject to all requirements, fees, and qualifications in this title, or in rules adopted by the board, as are applicable to spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licenses generally except that no service to the general public may be required.

    (2) No license shall be issued under this section to a business:

    (a) Which shall not have been in continuous operation for at least one year immediately prior to the date of its application; or

    (b) Which denies membership or admission to any person because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical handicap.

(3) The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license issued under this section that allows up to forty nonclub, member-sponsored events using club liquor.  Visitors and guests may attend these events only by invitation of the sponsoring member or members.  These events may not be open to the general public.  The fee for the endorsement is an annual fee of nine hundred dollars.  Upon the board's request, the holder of the endorsement must provide the board or the board's designee with the following information at least seventy-two hours before the event:  The date, time, and location of the event; the name of the sponsor of the event; and a brief description of the purpose of the event.

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