Committee hears opposition as bill would raise nearly all liquor license fees 50%

The Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2035, which would raise nearly all liquor license, permit and endorsement fees by 50%, generating an estimated $8.1 million a year, committee staff said.

Staff to the committee Matt Mazerhart summarized the bill and the fiscal note, telling the panel, “This bill would increase those fees by 50%.” He said the Liquor and Cannabis Board administers about 52 separate license, permit and endorsement types that allow businesses and nonprofit organizations to sell, distribute, manufacture and store alcohol, and that the board estimates the fee changes would produce about $8,100,000 a year in new revenue, of which about $7.6 million would go to the general fund and roughly $500,000 would be directed to the University of Washington and Washington State…