FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1004

C 59 L 15

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Clarifying provisions that allow for the tasting of alcohol by students under twenty-one years of age.

Sponsors: Representatives Springer, Manweller, Moeller, Walsh, Blake, Buys, Reykdal, Wilcox, Condotta, Fey, Gregerson and Sawyer.

House Committee on Commerce & Gaming

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background:

The Liquor Control Board (LCB) may issue a special permit to a community or technical college allowing 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 may not purchase the alcoholic beverage.

The LCB must 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:

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.

Votes on Final Passage: