by CHRIS INGALLS / KING 5 News

 

Washington law has not kept pace with the state's relatively new liquor laws. Now a bill proposed by an Enumclaw lawmakers aims to change that.

 

"This is dangerous. This is a product that, in the hands of juveniles, is going to kill someone," said Rep. Christopher Hurst, who chairs the House Government Accountability and Oversight committee. It oversees liquor-related issues.

 

Hurst, and many law enforcement agencies, say alcohol theft continues to be a problem more than a year and a half after voters allowed liquor to be sold in grocery stores.

 

They say some stores have not taken proper steps to secure their liquor; however, the state has no way to monitor or punish those stores that are lax.

 

"The bill I have would give power, fairly sweeping power, to the liquor control board to control licenses and even remove licenses for stores that are losing alcohol," said Hurst.

 

Hurst plans to introduce his bill on the first day of the legislative session in Olympia later this month.

 

The bill would require problem stores to hand over their liquor theft data to liquor control board. The stores have to prove they are fixing the problem or face losing their liquor license.

 

Holly Chisa of the Northwest Grocery Association says the bill is more palatable to grocers than some of the other suggestions that were under discussion.

 

"Our association hasn't taken an official position on that bill, but there are some components of it that we like," said Chisa.

 

One of them is that the law would target individual problem stores, as opposed to a blanket crackdown.

 

The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) has asked for a law requiring all grocery stores to provide their liquor theft stats to the state and the public.

 

WASPC says that's the only way that police can identify which stores have a liquor theft problem.

 

Rep. Hurst says providing all that data would be too time consuming for the stores and the state, which would have to provide the manpower to analyze the data.

 

Copy of the bill: http://www.king5.com/news/local/Bill-targets-grocery-stores-with-liquor-theft-problems-238664611.html  

Microbrewery: A brewery that produces fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer annually, with 75 percent or more of its beer sold off-site.

Microbreweries sell to the public by one or more of the following methods: the traditional three-tier system (brewer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer); the two-tier system (brewer acting as wholesaler to retailer to consumer); and directly to the consumer through carry-outs or on-site taproom or restaurant sales.

Brewpub: A restaurant-brewery that sells 25 percent or more of its beer on site. The beer is brewed primarily for sale in the restaurant and bar. The beer is often dispensed directly from the brewery's storage tanks.

 

Where allowed by law, brewpubs often sell beer "to go" [growlers] or distribute to off-site accounts.  

 

Note: The Brewers Association re-categorizes a company as a microbrewery if its off-site (distributed) beer sales exceed 75 percent.

 

Contract Brewing Company:A business that hires another brewery to produce its beer. It can also be a brewery that hires another brewery to produce additional beer.  

 

The contract brewing company handles marketing, sales and distribution of its beer, while generally leaving the brewing and packaging to its producer-brewery (which, confusingly, is also sometimes referred to as a contract brewery).

 

Regional Brewery: A brewery with annual beer production of between 15,000 and 6 million barrels.

 

Regional Craft Brewery: An independent regional brewery that has either an all-malt flagship or has at least 50 percent of its volume in either all-malt beers or in beers that use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

 

Large Brewery: A brewery with annual beer production of more than 6 million barrels.

 

Source: Brewers Association 

Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes sat down with Marshall Independent Editor Per Peterson and offered a point-by-point look at what lies ahead for the city of Marshall in 2014.

Planning and construction of the new municipal liquor store

 

This project has been discussed by the current and previous city councils and is ready for planning and construction this year, Byrnes said, and a location has been identified in the southern retail area.  

 

Byrnes said the current building on East College Drive has served the community well through the goals of controlled access and contributions to the community and noted that more than $300,000 has annually been contributed to the City General Fund which has helped reduce the property tax burden.  

 

He said the liquor fund provided $1 million for the construction of the new library, and previously helped pay for past airport improvements and flood control projects.  

 

The new location, he said, will have space for a better customer experience and a safer parking area.

 

"The current store has served the city well, but it's undersized, they're unable to display things properly and the parking and traffic flow is inadequate," Byrnes said.  

 

"It's time for new construction. The liquor store has been very useful for the city."  

 2014 MMBA Boot Camp

 

February 17 - 19

Breezy Point Resort

 

Click Here for More Information 

 

2014 MMBA / MLBA Legislative Day

 

March 10

Kelly Inn, St. Paul  

 

2014 MMBA Annual Conference

 

May 17 - 20

Arrowwood Resort 

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(Note: The Wine 101 training will only be available until
January 31, 2014.  Look for new training options this year.)

 Contact Bob Leslie at:

 

320-766-3871

 

763-428-0164

E-Mail Gary