2024 Legislative Session is in the Books
This year’s short legislative session officially ended on Mar. 7, 2024. Almost 1,200 bills were introduced this session. Some highlights of the bills impacting the agency’s work that have been signed into law are below.
Agency Request Bill Signed into Law Mar. 13
On Wednesday, Mar. 13, Gov. Inslee signed LCB’s agency-request bill into law. LCB Director Will Lukela, Legislative Director Marc Webster and Policy and External Affairs Director Justin Nordhorn were present for the signing.
HB 2260 aligns the penalties for store clerks who sell alcohol to a minor with the penalties for selling tobacco to a minor. A civil penalty — a fine — is also the penalty for restaurant servers who sell to a minor. This provides the same penalty across the state. In the past, store clerks faced a criminal charge, and the penalties that came with it depended on the county they lived in and whether the prosecutor charged them. Under the provisions of this bill, everyone will now face some sort of discipline for sales to a minor, while it also prevents clerks from getting a criminal record for an inadvertent sale.
Adult Entertainment Bill Passes
SB 6105 — dubbed the “strippers’ bill of rights” — also passed and was signed into law on March 25. This bill, among implementing many workplace protections for adult entertainment dancers, allows for alcohol sales in adult venues and repeals the prohibited conduct WAC 314.11.050.
The measure will become effective January 2025. It requires the LCB to coordinate with the Dept. of Labor and Industries (L&I) to ensure safety measures are in place if the establishment is to sell alcohol.
The bill also repeals the LCB’s rule on prohibited conduct (WAC 314–11–050). This provision becomes effective when the LCB completes the process to repeal the rule. That process is expected to be complete in June 2024.
While the LCB is not enforcing the prohibited conduct WAC, as it’s slated for repeal, local governments and the Dept. of Labor and Industries still have laws/rules that govern adult entertainment. The LCB will need create and adopt rules to implement the requirements of the bill.
HB 2204 Establishing Special Permits Signed into Law Mar. 14
This bill creates an emergency permit for breweries/wineries/distilleries to sell their wares at another licensed location if their own facility is inaccessible due to an emergency. This was an issue last summer when a wildfire closed roads leading to several wineries in southwest Washington. This bill was signed into law by Gov. Inslee on Thursday, Mar. 13.
The LCB will produce summaries of relevant legislation and post them to our Legislative Fact Sheets page by April 30, 2024.
