HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1004

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.

Brief Summary of Bill

Adds regional and state universities to the list of educational institutions eligible to receive a special permit from the Liquor Control Board authorizing the tasting of alcoholic beverages by underage students enrolled in specified culinary or alcoholic beverage technology classes.

Adds sommelier, wine business, enology, and viticulture degree programs to the types of degree programs eligible for the special permit authorizing the tasting of alcoholic beverages by underage students.

Background:

The Liquor Control Board (LCB) is authorized to issue a special permit to a community or technical college to allow certain students to lawfully taste alcohol provided they are at least 18 years old, yet still under age 21, and enrolled in a class that is part of a culinary, wine technology, beer technology, or spirituous technology-related degree program. The issuance of the permit requires that the following criteria be met:

the permit applicant must be a qualifying community or technical college student;
the alcohol is tasted but not consumed by the student;
the tasting of the alcohol is for the purpose of educational training as part of the class curriculum and is approved by the educational provider;
the service and tasting of alcoholic beverages is supervised by a faculty or staff member who is 21 years of age or older and who possesses the requisite alcohol servers permit issued by the LCB; and
an enrolled student permitted to taste an alcoholic beverage under this act may not purchase the alcoholic beverage.

The LCB is required to waive any permit fees that might otherwise be applicable.

Viticulture and enology are the two disciplines of wine production. Viticulture is the science, production, and study of grapes and their culture. Enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting. Viticulture and enology degree programs generally offer students the opportunity to study and research wine-grape growing and winemaking. The term "sommelier" is generally used to describe a restaurant employee who has extensive knowledge regarding wines and who orders and maintains the wines sold in the restaurant.

Summary of Bill:

The range of educational institutions that may receive the special permit from the LCB allowing the tasting of alcohol by underage students enrolled in specified culinary or alcoholic beverage technology classes is expanded to include regional and state universities. In addition, the types of degree programs eligible for the special alcohol tasting permit is expanded to include sommelier, wine business, enology, and viticulture degree programs.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Today, Washington has over 850 wineries and is second in the nation with respect to total acreage of wine grapes. The wine industry is growing exponentially, and well-trained professionals are much needed. Wine-related programs are proliferating in state schools, including universities, community colleges, and technical colleges. Currently, underage university students enrolled in such programs are prohibited from tasting wine, even when such tasting is essential to the curriculum. This bill would remedy this situation by authorizing university students in specified, food- and/or wine-related programs to taste wine. Students would be authorized to taste, but not swallow, wine. This would bring universities in line with community and technical colleges, whose students are already allowed to taste wine as part of an approved food/wine curriculum.

(Opposed) None.