Washington SB 5371: Eliminating the per transaction limit for wine and spirit sales.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to simplifying administration of wine and spirit 1
sales by eliminating the per transaction limit for volume; and 2
amending RCW 66.24.035, 66.24.179, 66.24.360, and 66.24.630.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 66.24.035 and 2017 c 96 s 1 are each amended to read 5
as follows:6
(1) There is a license called a combination spirits, beer, and 7
wine license, to sell wine and beer, including without limitation 8
strong beer, at retail in bottles, cans, and original containers, not 9
to be consumed upon the premises where sold, and to:10
(a) Sell spirits in original containers to consumers for 11
consumption off the licensed premises and to permit holders;12
(b) Sell spirits in original containers to retailers licensed to 13
sell spirits for consumption on the premises, for resale at their 14
licensed premises according to the terms of their licenses((, 15
although no single sale may exceed twenty-four liters)); and16
(c) Export spirits.17
(2) The annual fee for the combination spirits, beer, and wine 18
license is ((three hundred sixteen dollars)) $316 for each store.19
(3) For the purposes of this title, a combination spirits, beer, 20
and wine license is a retail license, and a sale by a combination 21
S-0672.1
SENATE BILL 5371
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators MacEwen and Schoesler
Read first time 01/20/25. Referred to Committee on Labor & Commerce.
p. 1 SB 5371

spirits, beer, and wine licensee is a retail sale only if not for 1
resale. Nothing in this title authorizes sales by on-premise 2
licensees to other retail licensees.3
(4)(a) The board may issue a combination spirits, beer, and wine 4
license:5
(i) For premises comprising at least ((ten thousand)) 10,000 6
square feet of fully enclosed retail space within a single structure, 7
including storerooms and other interior auxiliary areas but excluding 8
covered or fenced exterior areas, whether or not attached to the 9
structure, and only to applicants that the board determines will 10
maintain appropriate systems for inventory management, employee 11
training, employee supervision, and physical security of the product;12
(ii) For premises of a former contract liquor store; or13
(iii) To a holder of former state liquor store operating rights 14
sold at auction under RCW 66.24.620.15
(b) License issuances and renewals are subject to RCW 66.24.010 16
and the regulations adopted thereunder including, without limitation, 17
rights of cities, towns, county legislative authorities, the public, 18
churches, schools, and public institutions to object to or prevent 19
issuance of local liquor licenses. However, existing grocery and 20
other retail premises over ((ten thousand)) 10,000 square feet 21
licensed to sell beer and/or wine are deemed to be premises "now 22
licensed" under RCW 66.24.010(9)(a) for the purpose of processing 23
applications for combination spirits, beer, and wine licenses.24
(c) A retailer authorized to sell spirits for consumption on or 25
off the licensed premises may accept delivery of spirits and deliver 26
spirits in the same manner as is provided in RCW 66.24.630(3)(d).27
(d) For purposes of negotiating volume discounts of spirits, a 28
group of individual retailers authorized to sell spirits for 29
consumption off the licensed premises may accept delivery of spirits 30
as provided in RCW 66.24.630(3)(e).31
(5) Each combination spirits, beer, and wine licensee must pay to 32
the board, for deposit into the liquor revolving fund, a license 33
issuance fee equivalent to the license issuance fee imposed on 34
licensees selling spirits pursuant to RCW 66.24.630(4)(a).35
(6) The board may not issue a combined spirits, beer, and wine 36
license to an applicant if the applicant would qualify for a 37
restricted license as provided in RCW 66.24.371(4) or 66.24.360(7) if 38
the applicant had applied for a license under RCW 66.24.371 or 39
66.24.360 instead of pursuant to this section.40
p. 2 SB 5371

(7) As a condition to receiving and renewing a combination 1
spirits, beer, and wine license the licensee must comply with RCW 2
66.24.630(6).3
(8) The maximum penalties prescribed by the board in WAC 4
314-29-020 through 314-29-040 relating to fines and suspensions are 5
doubled for violations relating to the sale of spirits by combination 6
spirits, beer, and wine licensees.7
(9)(a) A combination spirits, beer, and wine licensee that joins 8
the responsible vendor program developed by the board pursuant to RCW 9
66.24.630(8) and maintains all of the program's requirements is not 10
subject to the doubling of penalties provided in this section for a 11
single violation in any period of ((twelve)) 12 calendar months.12
(b) To participate in the responsible vendor program, a 13
combination spirits, beer, and wine licensee must submit an 14
application form to the board. If the application establishes that 15
the combination spirits, beer, and wine licensee