FINAL BILL REPORT

EHB 1563

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.

Background:

The Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) issues a special permit to a community or technical college to allow certain students to lawfully taste alcohol under specified conditions. To qualify, students must be at least 18 years old 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 server permit issued by the LCB; and
an enrolled student allowed to taste an alcoholic beverage is not permitted to purchase the alcoholic beverage.

The LCB must waive any otherwise applicable permit fees to special permit holders.

Summary:

The events under which eligible community or technical colleges may receive the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) special permit that authorizes underage students, enrolled in specified culinary or alcoholic beverage technology classes, to taste of alcoholic beverages is expanded. The LCB is authorized to provide the special permit for tastings that occur on the premises of the college or university at which the student is enrolled and field trips to grape-growing areas or production facilities. Participating students must be accompanied by a faculty or staff member who is 21 years of age or older and who possesses the requisite alcohol server permit issued by the LCB.

Domestic winery licensees are permitted to allow student interns, between the ages of 18 to 21, to engage in wine-production work that takes place on the domestic winery's premises. To participate, the student intern must be enrolled in an elective class that is part of a culinary, sommelier, wine business, enology, viticulture, wine, technology, beer technology, or spirituous technology-related degree program at a community or technical college, regional university, or state university that holds a valid special permit. Licensees are solely responsible for any student intern violation that occurs on the domestic winery's premises.

Votes on Final Passage:

House	89	6
Senate	43	1