BILL REQ. #:  S-0957.1 

Read first time 02/08/11.   Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection.

     AN ACT Relating to allowing a microbrewery and domestic brewery to sell beer of another domestic brewery for on and off-premises consumption from its premises; amending RCW 66.24.240; and reenacting and amending RCW 66.24.244.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 66.24.244 and 2008 c 248 s 2 and 2008 c 41 s 9 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) There shall be a license for microbreweries; fee to be one hundred dollars for production of less than sixty thousand barrels of malt liquor, including strong beer, per year.
     (2) Any microbrewery licensed under this section may also act as a distributor and/or retailer for beer and strong beer of its own production. Strong beer may not be sold at a farmers market or under any endorsement which may authorize microbreweries to sell beer at farmers markets. Any microbrewery operating as a distributor and/or retailer under this subsection shall comply with the applicable laws and rules relating to distributors and/or retailers, except that a microbrewery operating as a distributor may maintain a warehouse off the premises of the microbrewery for the distribution of beer provided that (a) the warehouse has been approved by the board under RCW 66.24.010 and (b) the number of warehouses off the premises of the microbrewery does not exceed one. A microbrewery holding a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license may sell beer of its own production for off-premises consumption from its restaurant premises in kegs or in a sanitary container brought to the premises by the purchaser or furnished by the licensee and filled at the tap by the licensee at the time of sale.
     (3) Any microbrewery licensed under this section may also sell beer of another domestic breweries' production for on and off-premises consumption from its premises as long as the other breweries' brands do not exceed twenty-five percent of the microbrewery's on-tap offering of their own brands.
     (4) The board may issue up to two retail licenses allowing a microbrewery to operate an on or off-premise tavern, beer and/or wine restaurant, or spirits, beer, and wine restaurant.
     (((4))) (5) A microbrewery that holds a tavern license, spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, or a beer and/or wine restaurant license shall hold the same privileges and endorsements as permitted under RCW 66.24.320, 66.24.330, and 66.24.420.
     (((5))) (6)(a) A microbrewery licensed under this section may apply to the board for an endorsement to sell bottled beer of its own production at retail for off-premises consumption at a qualifying farmers market. The annual fee for this endorsement is seventy-five dollars.
     (b) For each month during which a microbrewery will sell beer at a qualifying farmers market, the microbrewery must provide the board or its designee a list of the dates, times, and locations at which bottled beer may be offered for sale. This list must be received by the board before the microbrewery may offer beer for sale at a qualifying farmers market.
     (c) The beer sold at qualifying farmers markets must be produced in Washington.
     (d) Each approved location in a qualifying farmers market is deemed to be part of the microbrewery license for the purpose of this title. The approved locations under an endorsement granted under this subsection (((5))) (6) do not constitute the tasting or sampling privilege of a microbrewery. The microbrewery may not store beer at a farmers market beyond the hours that the microbrewery offers bottled beer for sale. The microbrewery may not act as a distributor from a farmers market location.
     (e) Before a microbrewery may sell bottled beer at a qualifying farmers market, the farmers market must apply to the board for authorization for any microbrewery with an endorsement approved under this subsection (((5))) (6) to sell bottled beer at retail at the farmers market. This application shall include, at a minimum: (i) A map of the farmers market showing all booths, stalls, or other designated locations at which an approved microbrewery may sell bottled beer; and (ii) the name and contact information for the on-site market managers who may be contacted by the board or its designee to verify the locations at which bottled beer may be sold. Before authorizing a qualifying farmers market to allow an approved microbrewery to sell bottled beer at retail at its farmers market location, the board shall notify the persons or entities of the application for authorization pursuant to RCW 66.24.010 (8) and (9). An authorization granted under this subsection (((5))) (6)(e) may be withdrawn by the board for any violation of this title or any rules adopted under this title.
     (f) The board may adopt rules establishing the application and approval process under this section and any additional rules necessary to implement this section.
     (g) For the purposes of this subsection (((5))) (6):
     (i) "Qualifying farmers market" means an entity that sponsors a regular assembly of vendors at a defined location for the purpose of promoting the sale of agricultural products grown or produced in this state directly to the consumer under conditions that meet the following minimum requirements:
     (A) There are at least five participating vendors who are farmers selling their own agricultural products;
     (B) The total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are farmers exceeds the total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are processors or resellers;
     (C) The total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are farmers, processors, or resellers exceeds the total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are not farmers, processors, or resellers;
     (D) The sale of imported items and secondhand items by any vendor is prohibited; and
     (E) No vendor is a franchisee.
     (ii) "Farmer" means a natural person who sells, with or without processing, agricultural products that he or she raises on land he or she owns or leases in this state or in another state's county that borders this state.
     (iii) "Processor" means a natural person who sells processed food that he or she has personally prepared on land he or she owns or leases in this state or in another state's county that borders this state.
     (iv) "Reseller" means a natural person who buys agricultural products from a farmer and resells the products directly to the consumer.
     (((6))) (7) Any microbrewery licensed under this section may contract-produce beer for another microbrewer. This contract-production is not a sale for the purposes of RCW 66.28.170 and 66.28.180.

Sec. 2   RCW 66.24.240 and 2008 c 41 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) There shall be a license for domestic breweries; fee to be two thousand dollars for production of sixty thousand barrels or more of malt liquor per year.
     (2) Any domestic brewery, except for a brand owner of malt beverages under RCW 66.04.010(((6))) (7), licensed under this section may also act as a distributor and/or retailer for beer of its own production. Any domestic brewery operating as a distributor and/or retailer under this subsection shall comply with the applicable laws and rules relating to distributors and/or retailers. A domestic brewery holding a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license may sell beer of its own production for off-premises consumption from its restaurant premises in kegs or in a sanitary container brought to the premises by the purchaser or furnished by the licensee and filled at the tap by the licensee at the time of sale.
     (3) Any domestic brewery licensed under this section may also sell beer of another domestic breweries' production for on and off-premises consumption from its premises as long as the other breweries' brands do not exceed twenty-five percent of the domestic brewery's on-tap offering of their own brands.
     (4) A domestic brewery may hold up to two retail licenses to operate an on or off-premise tavern, beer and/or wine restaurant, or spirits, beer, and wine restaurant. This retail license is separate from the brewery license. A brewery that holds a tavern license, a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, or a beer and/or wine restaurant license shall hold the same privileges and endorsements as permitted under RCW 66.24.320, 66.24.330, and 66.24.420.
     (((4))) (5) Any domestic brewery licensed under this section may contract-produce beer for a brand owner of malt beverages defined under RCW 66.04.010(((6))) (7), and this contract-production is not a sale for the purposes of RCW 66.28.170 and 66.28.180.
     (((5))) (6)(a) A domestic brewery licensed under this section and qualified for a reduced rate of taxation pursuant to RCW 66.24.290(3)(b) may apply to the board for an endorsement to sell bottled beer of its own production at retail for off-premises consumption at a qualifying farmers market. The annual fee for this endorsement is seventy-five dollars.
     (b) For each month during which a domestic brewery will sell beer at a qualifying farmers market, the domestic brewery must provide the board or its designee a list of the dates, times, and locations at which bottled beer may be offered for sale. This list must be received by the board before the domestic brewery may offer beer for sale at a qualifying farmers market.
     (c) The beer sold at qualifying farmers markets must be produced in Washington.
     (d) Each approved location in a qualifying farmers market is deemed to be part of the domestic brewery license for the purpose of this title. The approved locations under an endorsement granted under this subsection do not include the tasting or sampling privilege of a domestic brewery. The domestic brewery may not store beer at a farmers market beyond the hours that the domestic brewery offers bottled beer for sale. The domestic brewery may not act as a distributor from a farmers market location.
     (e) Before a domestic brewery may sell bottled beer at a qualifying farmers market, the farmers market must apply to the board for authorization for any domestic brewery with an endorsement approved under this subsection to sell bottled beer at retail at the farmers market. This application shall include, at a minimum: (i) A map of the farmers market showing all booths, stalls, or other designated locations at which an approved domestic brewery may sell bottled beer; and (ii) the name and contact information for the on-site market managers who may be contacted by the board or its designee to verify the locations at which bottled beer may be sold. Before authorizing a qualifying farmers market to allow an approved domestic brewery to sell bottled beer at retail at its farmers market location, the board shall notify the persons or entities of such application for authorization pursuant to RCW 66.24.010 (8) and (9). An authorization granted under this subsection (((5))) (6)(e) may be withdrawn by the board for any violation of this title or any rules adopted under this title.
     (f) The board may adopt rules establishing the application and approval process under this section and such additional rules as may be necessary to implement this section.
     (g) For the purposes of this subsection:
     (i) "Qualifying farmers market" means an entity that sponsors a regular assembly of vendors at a defined location for the purpose of promoting the sale of agricultural products grown or produced in this state directly to the consumer under conditions that meet the following minimum requirements:
     (A) There are at least five participating vendors who are farmers selling their own agricultural products;
     (B) The total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are farmers exceeds the total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are processors or resellers;
     (C) The total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are farmers, processors, or resellers exceeds the total combined gross annual sales of vendors who are not farmers, processors, or resellers;
     (D) The sale of imported items and secondhand items by any vendor is prohibited; and
     (E) No vendor is a franchisee.
     (ii) "Farmer" means a natural person who sells, with or without processing, agricultural products that he or she raises on land he or she owns or leases in this state or in another state's county that borders this state.
     (iii) "Processor" means a natural person who sells processed food that he or she has personally prepared on land he or she owns or leases in this state or in another state's county that borders this state.
     (iv) "Reseller" means a natural person who buys agricultural products from a farmer and resells the products directly to the consumer.