03/01/2004 09:05 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     SENATE BILL NO. 194                                                                                                        
     "An Act authorizing delivery of up to two bottles of                                                                       
     distilled spirits to a cruise ship passenger or hotel                                                                      
     guest."                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was  the second  hearing for  this bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Green  explained that a committee  substitute that  expands                                                            
the  original  legislation  to  include  the delivery  of  beer,  in                                                            
addition  to  the  delivery  of  spirits,   has  been  provided  for                                                            
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
DOUG  LETCH, Staff  to Senator  Gary  Stevens, the  bill's  sponsor,                                                            
agreed  that  expanding  the bill  to  address  a broader  range  of                                                            
alcoholic  beverages  would  prevent  the  bill from  having  to  be                                                            
brought back  before the  Legislature "year  after year" to  address                                                            
the issue.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator B. Stevens moved  to adopt committee substitute, Version 23-                                                            
LS1015\D as the working document.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
There being no  objection, the Version "D" committee  substitute was                                                            
adopted as the working document.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Letch shared  that the Alcohol Beverage Control  Board (ABC) has                                                            
determined that  the inclusion of the beer language  would encompass                                                            
other malt beverages  such as hard lemonades and iced  teas. He also                                                            
noted  that ABC  finds  that  the 40-ounce  specification  would  be                                                            
appropriate; however, he  noted that the sponsor would be willing to                                                            
discuss changing  that limitation  were the Committee to  so desire.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman  asked  whether 40-ounces  would  equate  to  three                                                            
bottles of beer.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Letch responded  that this would  equate to one large  bottle of                                                            
beer or a few bottles of beer.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Hoffman   asked  whether  a  size  definition   of  bottled                                                            
distilled spirits has been established.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Letch stated  the ABC Board would be making that  determination.                                                            
He noted that  the Board would also  be willing to address  the beer                                                            
quantity,  "within its  regulatory  powers," were  the Committee  to                                                            
decide to remove the 40-ounce specification.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Dyson  informed the  Committee that  efforts are ongoing  by                                                            
the Pacific Northwest  Economic Region to encourage  the cruise ship                                                            
industry to utilize  a variety of local west coast  food products on                                                            
their menus, in addition to beers and other spirits.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator B.  Stevens moved  to report the  committee substitute  from                                                            
Committee with  individual recommendations  and accompanying  fiscal                                                            
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
There  being  no  objections,  CS  SB  194(FIN)  was  REPORTED  from                                                            
Committee with a zero fiscal  note, dated January 12, 2004, from the                                                            
Department of Public Safety.