HOUSE BILL REPORT
SHB 1975
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in
their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a
statement of legislative intent.
As Passed House:
March 10, 2007
Title: An act relating to spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licenses.
Brief Description: Addressing spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licenses.
Sponsors: By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives Springer, Condotta and Wood).
Brief History:
Commerce & Labor: 2/23/07, 2/26/07 [DPS].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 3/10/07, 93-0.
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Conway, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Condotta, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Green, Moeller and Williams.
Staff: Joan Elgee (786-7106).
Background:
The Liquor Control Board (Board) issues a number of types of liquor licenses. A spirits,
beer, and wine restaurant license allows the sale of spirits, beer, and wine for consumption on
the premises. A beer and/or wine restaurant license allows the sale of beer or wine, or both,
for on-premises consumption.
A holder of either of these restaurant licenses may apply for a caterer's endorsement. The
endorsement allows the restaurant to remove liquor from the premises for a catered event.
The catered event must be sponsored by a not-for-profit group organized for specified
purposes unless attendance is limited to members or invited guests. The caterer's
endorsement may also be used for an event at a domestic winery or on a passenger vessel.
Except for catering at wineries and on vessels, the catering must take place on premises not
licensed by the Board.
Summary of Substitute Bill:
A restaurant with a catering endorsement as part of a spirits, beer, and wine license or a beer
and/or wine license issued by the Board may store liquor on the premises of another not
licensed by the Board. There must be a written agreement between the restaurant and the
other party to provide for ongoing catering services, the agreement must not contain any
exclusivity clauses regarding the liquor to be served, and the agreement must be filed with the
Board.
A restaurant that does catering may also store liquor on other premises operated by the
restaurant that it owns or controls by a leasehold interest, and may store liquor at wineries
and on passenger vessels for which it does catering.
The Board must establish conditions for the storage of liquor.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) Restaurants that hold catering licenses with a catering facility elsewhere or that
cater at a winery have to cart the liquor back and forth. For example, a restaurant on a
downtown street may have a banquet room a block away. Currently, the restaurant can't store
the liquor. It's a logistics problem and a safety, cost, and theft issue. When there is an
exclusive catering agreement, we want to amend to make clear storage is allowed only on
unlicensed premises.
(Neutral) We are neutral on the policy. The amendment described takes care of the concern
we had.
(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Springer, prime sponsor; and Michael
Transue, Washington Restaurant Association.
(Neutral) Rick Garza, Liquor Control Board.