CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

HOUSE BILL 1672

Chapter 169, Laws of 2019

66TH LEGISLATURE

2019 REGULAR SESSION

RECORKING WINE AND SAKE

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 28, 2019

HOUSE BILL 1672

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE`

ByRepresentatives Steele, Kirby, Rude, Jenkin, Eslick, and Doglio

AN ACT Relating to recorking wine and sake; and amending RCW 66.24.170, 66.24.320, and 66.24.400.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 66.24.170 and 2017 c 238 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There is a license for domestic wineries; fee to be computed only on the liters manufactured: Less than two hundred fifty thousand liters per year, one hundred dollars per year; and two hundred fifty thousand liters or more per year, four hundred dollars per year.

(2) The license allows for the manufacture of wine in Washington state from grapes or other agricultural products.

(3) Any domestic winery licensed under this section may also act as a retailer of wine of its own production. Any domestic winery licensed under this section may act as a distributor of its own production. Notwithstanding any language in this title to the contrary, a domestic winery may use a common carrier to deliver up to one hundred cases of its own production, in the aggregate, per month to licensed Washington retailers. A domestic winery may not arrange for any such common carrier shipments to licensed retailers of wine not of its own production. Except as provided in this section, any winery operating as a distributor and/or retailer under this subsection must comply with the applicable laws and rules relating to distributors and/or retailers, except that a winery operating as a distributor may maintain a warehouse off the premises of the winery for the distribution of wine of its own production 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 winery does not exceed one.

(4)(a) A domestic winery licensed under this section, at locations separate from any of its production or manufacturing sites, may serve samples of its own products, with or without charge, may sell wine of its own production at retail, and may sell for off-premises consumption wines of its own production in kegs or sanitary containers meeting the applicable requirements of federal law brought to the premises by the purchaser or furnished by the licensee and filled at the tap at the time of sale, provided that: (((a)))(i) Each additional location has been approved by the board under RCW 66.24.010; (((b)))(ii) the total number of additional locations does not exceed four; (((c)))(iii) a winery may not act as a distributor at any such additional location; and (((d)))(iv) any person selling or serving wine at an additional location for on-premises consumption must obtain a class 12 or class 13 alcohol server permit. Each additional location is deemed to be part of the winery license for the purpose of this title. At additional locations operated by multiple wineries under this section, if the board cannot connect a violation of RCW 66.44.200 or 66.44.270 to a single licensee, the board may hold all licensees operating the additional location jointly liable. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prevent a domestic winery from holding multiple domestic winery licenses.

(5)(a) A domestic winery licensed under this section may apply to the board for an endorsement to sell wine 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. An endorsement issued pursuant to this subsection does not count toward the four additional retail locations limit specified in this section.

(b) For each month during which a domestic winery will sell wine at a qualifying farmers market, the winery must provide the board or its designee a list of the dates, times, and locations at which bottled wine may be offered for sale. This list must be received by the board before the winery may offer wine for sale at a qualifying farmers market.

(c) The wine sold at qualifying farmers markets must be made entirely from grapes grown in a recognized Washington appellation or from other agricultural products grown in this state.

(d) Each approved location in a qualifying farmers market is deemed to be part of the winery license for the purpose of this title. The approved locations under an endorsement granted under this subsection include tasting or sampling privileges subject to the conditions pursuant to RCW 66.24.175. The winery may not store wine at a farmers market beyond the hours that the winery offers bottled wine for sale. The winery may not act as a distributor from a farmers market location.

(e) Before a winery may sell bottled wine at a qualifying farmers market, the farmers market must apply to the board for authorization for any winery with an endorsement approved under this subsection to sell bottled wine 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 winery may sell bottled wine; 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 wine may be sold. Before authorizing a qualifying farmers market to allow an approved winery to sell bottled wine at retail at its farmers market location, the board must 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)(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. However, if a farmers market does not satisfy this subsection (5)(g)(i)(B), a farmers market is still considered a "qualifying farmers market" if the total combined gross annual sales of farmers and processors at the farmers market is one million dollars or more;

(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) Wine produced in Washington state by a domestic winery licensee may be shipped out-of-state for the purpose of making it into sparkling wine and then returned to such licensee for resale. Such wine is deemed wine manufactured in the state of Washington for the purposes of RCW 66.24.206, and shall not require a special license.

(7) During an event held by a nonprofit holding a special occasion license issued under RCW 66.24.380, a domestic winery licensed under this section may take orders, either in writing or electronically, and accept payment for wines of its own production under the following conditions:

(a) Wine produced by the domestic winery may be served for on-premises consumption by the special occasion licensee;

(b) The domestic winery delivers wine to the consumer on a date after the conclusion of the special occasion event;

(c) The domestic winery delivers wine to the consumer at a location different from the location at which the special occasion event is held;

(d) The domestic winery complies with all requirements in chapter 66.20 RCW for direct sale of wine to consumers;

(e) The wine is not sold for resale; and

(f) The domestic winery is entitled to all proceeds from the sale and delivery of its wine to a consumer after the conclusion of the special occasion event, but may enter into an agreement to share a portion of the proceeds of these sales with the special occasion licensee licensed under RCW 66.24.380.

Sec. 2. RCW 66.24.320 and 2007 c 370 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

There shall be a beer and/or wine restaurant license to sell beer, including strong beer, or wine, or both, at retail, for consumption on the premises. A patron of the licensee may remove from the premises, recorked or recapped in its original container, any portion of wine or sake that was purchased for consumption with a meal.

(1) The annual fee shall be two hundred dollars for the beer license, two hundred dollars for the wine license, or four hundred dollars for a combination beer and wine license.

(2)(a) The board may issue a caterer's endorsement to this license to allow the licensee to remove from the liquor stocks at the licensed premises, only those types of liquor that are authorized under the on-premises license privileges for sale and service at event locations at a specified date and, except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, place not currently licensed by the board. If the event is open to the public, it must be sponsored by a society or organization as defined by RCW 66.24.375. If attendance at the event is limited to members or invited guests of the sponsoring individual, society, or organization, the requirement that the sponsor must be a society or organization as defined by RCW 66.24.375 is waived. Cost of the endorsement is three hundred fifty dollars.

(b) The holder of this license with (([a]))a catering endorsement shall, if requested by the board, notify the board or its designee of the date, time, place, and location of any catered event. Upon request, the licensee shall provide to the board all necessary or requested information concerning the society or organization that will be holding the function at which the endorsed license will be utilized.

(c) The holder of this license with a caterer's endorsement may, under conditions established by the board, store liquor on the premises of another not licensed by the board so long as there is a written agreement between the licensee and the other party to provide for ongoing catering services, the agreement contains no exclusivity clauses regarding the alcoholic beverages to be served, and the agreement is filed with the board.

(d) The holder of this license with a caterer's endorsement may, under conditions established by the board, store liquor on other premises operated by the licensee so long as the other premises are owned or controlled by a leasehold interest by that licensee. A duplicate license may be issued for each additional premises. A license fee of twenty dollars shall be required for such duplicate licenses.

(3) Licensees under this section that hold a caterer's endorsement are allowed to use this endorsement on a domestic winery premises or on the premises of a passenger vessel and may store liquor at such premises under conditions established by the board under the following conditions:

(a) Agreements between the domestic winery or the passenger vessel, as the case may be, and the retail licensee shall be in writing, contain no exclusivity clauses regarding the alcoholic beverages to be served, and be filed with the board; and

(b) The domestic winery or passenger vessel, as the case may be, and the retail licensee shall be separately contracted and compensated by the persons sponsoring the event for their respective services.

(4) The holder of this license or its manager may furnish beer or wine to the licensee's employees free of charge as may be required for use in connection with instruction on beer and wine. The instruction may include the history, nature, values, and characteristics of beer or wine, the use of wine lists, and the methods of presenting, serving, storing, and handling beer or wine. The beer and/or wine licensee must use the beer or wine it obtains under its license for the sampling as part of the instruction. The instruction must be given on the premises of the beer and/or wine licensee.

(5) If the license is issued to a person who contracts with the Washington state ferry system to provide food and alcohol service on a designated ferry route, the license shall cover any vessel assigned to the designated route. A separate license is required for each designated ferry route.

Sec. 3. RCW 66.24.400 and 2011 c 119 s 401 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) There shall be a retailer's license, to be known and designated as a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, to sell spirituous liquor by the individual glass, beer, and wine, at retail, for consumption on the premises, including mixed drinks and cocktails compounded or mixed on the premises only. A club licensed under chapter 70.62 RCW with overnight sleeping accommodations, that is licensed under this section may sell liquor by the bottle to registered guests of the club for consumption in guest rooms, hospitality rooms, or at banquets in the club. A patron of a bona fide restaurant or club licensed under this section may remove from the premises recorked or recapped in its original container any portion of wine or sake which was purchased for consumption with a meal, and registered guests who have purchased liquor from the club by the bottle may remove from the premises any unused portion of such liquor in its original container. Such license may be issued only to bona fide restaurants and clubs, and to dining, club and buffet cars on passenger trains, and to dining places on passenger boats and airplanes, and to dining places at civic centers with facilities for sports, entertainment, and conventions, and to such other establishments operated and maintained primarily for the benefit of tourists, vacationers and travelers as the board shall determine are qualified to have, and in the discretion of the board should have, a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license under the provisions and limitations of this title.

(2) The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to sell bottled wine for off-premises consumption. Spirits and beer may not be sold for off-premises consumption under this section except as provided in subsection (4) of this section. The annual fee for the endorsement under this subsection is one hundred twenty dollars.

(3) The holder of a spirits, beer, and wine license or its manager may furnish beer, wine, or spirituous liquor to the licensee's employees free of charge as may be required for use in connection with instruction on beer, wine, or spirituous liquor. The instruction may include the history, nature, values, and characteristics of beer, wine, or spirituous liquor, the use of wine lists, and the methods of presenting, serving, storing, and handling beer, wine, and spirituous liquor. The spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licensee must use the beer, wine, or spirituous liquor it obtains under its license for the sampling as part of the instruction. The instruction must be given on the premises of the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licensee.

(4) The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to sell for off-premises consumption malt liquor in kegs or other containers that are capable of holding four gallons or more of liquid and are registered in accordance with RCW 66.28.200. Beer may also be sold under the endorsement to a purchaser in a sanitary container brought to the premises by the purchaser or furnished by the licensee and filled at the tap by the retailer at the time of sale. The annual fee for the endorsement under this subsection is one hundred twenty dollars.

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