04/10/2012 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

               HB  50-ACCESS TO LICENSED PREMISES                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:45:32 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR EGAN  announced consideration  of HB  50 [CSHB  50(JUD) was                                                               
before the committee].                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PASKVAN moved to bring CSHB 50(JUD), labeled 27-                                                                        
LS0254\B, before the committee.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR EGAN objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:46:22 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  DAN SADDLER,  sponsor  of HB  50, explained  that                                                               
this  measure  deals  with patriotic  clubs,  like  the  American                                                               
Legion  or the  VFW Halls,  which  may be  licensed premises  for                                                               
liquor sales as club licenses. The  bill does not allow minors to                                                               
drink; it's  merely an access  bill with two basic  elements. One                                                               
deals with service  members over age 21 and the  other with those                                                               
who are under 21.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He explained that current law  allows those active duty personnel                                                               
with  a military  ID over  21 years  of age  to visit  a licensed                                                               
Legion  or   VFW  Hall  when   invited,  but  only   on  "special                                                               
occasions,"  which is  not defined.  This  bill illuminates  that                                                               
vague special occasion restriction so  that a soldier who is over                                                               
21  can  legally  visit  a  VFW or  Legion  Hall  at  the  club's                                                               
invitation on  any occasion.  Thanks to  a previous  amendment in                                                               
the House,  it will also allow  that soldier to bring  his or her                                                               
spouse with.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  said the  second part  of the  bill deals                                                               
with  service members  who are  under  21 years  old, minors.  He                                                               
explained that  patriotic clubs  are often  the site  of off-base                                                               
meetings  and   commander's  calls   for  military   units  where                                                               
important information -  potential employments, verbal discipline                                                               
and congratulations  - is communicated. Excluding  minor soldiers                                                               
under age  21 could erode  unit cohesion  and unit morale.  HB 50                                                               
would allow  soldiers under the age  of 21 and their  spouse with                                                               
appropriate IDs to  visit a patriotic club's  licensed premise if                                                               
they are  members or guests  of a  member. If their  host leaves,                                                               
they have to leave, too.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PASKVAN  remembered when the  drinking age in  Alaska was                                                               
19 because of the Viet Nam  War. Then the federal government said                                                               
if you  want to receive federal  highway dollars, the age  had to                                                               
be raised  to 21 years  old. Part of  that was establishing  a 55                                                               
mph speed  limit; that is long  gone in America, but  the 21 year                                                               
drinking age remains.  They should recognize that 19  and 20 year                                                               
old soldiers are probably mature  enough to drink, along with the                                                               
other 19 and 20 year olds.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MENARD asked what type of IDs would be accepted.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER replied a current  military ID. There is a                                                               
whole  range of  different  kinds of  military  IDs that  include                                                               
those issued by the Department of Defense and Homeland Security                                                                 
Card.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PASKVAN moved  to report CSHB 50 (JUD),  version \B, from                                                               
committee  to  the next  committee  of  referral with  individual                                                               
recommendations  and attached  zero  fiscal note.  There were  no                                                               
objections, and it was so ordered.