2023

May 11, 2023 -

SB 5002: .05 BAC Bill

WWI worked alongside the Washington Hospitality Association to educate lawmakers on the harm SB 5002 would cause to industries including wine, beer, and hospitality. This bill would have lowered the State of Washington’s legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level for driving from .08 to .05. It failed to receive a vote by the full Senate. While SB 5002 stalled for the 2023 session, we expect a .05 BAC bill to be considered during the 2024 session. WWI asks all of our members’ support as we continue to get stronger and better equipped to push back as your Association. For any questions or support with membership needs, including dues, contact our Membership and Programs Manager Marie Schurk at marie@wwi.wine.

Bills WWI Helped Deliver to the Governor

SB 5448: Wine Delivery & Takeout/Outdoor Seating

This bill extends Covid-era allowances that we helped get passed in 2021 of cocktails to go for restaurants, wine home delivery, and takeout until July 1, 2025 for wineries and wine restaurant licensees that have obtained the specific LCB endorsement. This bill includes a second component which makes permanent the outdoor seating allowances that we accomplished in 2021. We will continue to define and push this rulemaking forward in regards to the use of demarcations instead of barriers in both public and private spaces. At this time, the only licensees that could use demarcations are restaurants.

HB 1258: Tourism Marketing Funding

This bill increases the cap on funding our statewide tourism marketing efforts to $9 million a biennium (current cap is $3 million). We initially wanted funding to be increased to $26 million. A big thank you to Adam Acampora for testifying on this bill.

HB 1573: Fruit, vegetables, dairy, and seafood B&O tax incentive for out of state sales

This bill extends our full Business and Occupations (B&O) tax break for all out-of-state sales until 2035. This applies to fresh fruit processing sales, including wine. If you are not currently taking advantage of this tax break, please let us know, and we will help make sure you have the information needed to begin utilizing it for tax year 2022 moving forward.