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Delegation delays action on new seven-day alcohol license amid questions about fees
Summary
Proposal to create a seven-day alcohol-license exemption for venues that lack restaurant food requirements was discussed; members asked for fee-breakdowns and said fees should not be raised without clearer accounting, so the item will return next week.
The Washington County Legislative Delegation reviewed a proposed exemption to create a seven-day alcohol license intended for businesses that do not meet current food requirements, such as arcades, bowling alleys, family recreation centers and certain sporting events. Delegation members raised concerns about the proposed fee structure and deferred final action until the next meeting.
Delegates said the license is intended to give businesses that now use one-day event permits a clearer licensing path and to remove the need for a limited class D or Class B restaurant license in some cases. Delegates questioned the proposed fees, noting that current fees for a Class B off-sale beer-and-wine license are $200 but the draft showed $750 in one line item. Several members said they had no appetite for raising fees while the liquor board appears to be holding substantial balances; one member said the liquor board currently holds “close to 200 some thousand dollars.”
The delegation asked staff to circulate a fee spreadsheet the clerk’s office maintains and to compare the current fee structure to what the proposed bill would impose. The chair said the item would be reviewed again next week; no vote was taken at this meeting.
Why it matters: The new license and any change in fees would affect small businesses that host events and the liquor board’s revenues and expenditures. Delegates repeatedly asked the liquor board to clarify what it intends to do with existing reserves before supporting fee increases.
Next steps: Delegation staff will send the fee breakdown and the draft bill to members and the liquor-board representatives for review; the item will return to the delegation’s next meeting for possible cross-file or final action.
