Rules team seeks adoption of CR103 to align rules with 2025 legislation and expand outdoor alcohol service areas

Policy and rule staff briefed the board Jan. 2 on multiple rulemaking items and the plan to seek approval at the next board meeting to file final rule adoptions (CR103).

Kevin summarized 12 open rule projects and said staff will ask tomorrow for approval to file a CR103 to adopt final rules aligning department rules with statutory changes from the 2025 legislative package, which he referenced as House Bill 1636, House Bill 1698, and Second Substitute Senate Bill 5786. Kevin said the CR105 was filed Nov. 5 for expedited rulemaking; there were no comments on that expedited package and, if approved, final rules would be filed Jan. 20 and become effective immediately.

Daniel previewed the CR103 for Second Substitute House Bill 1515, which expands allowable public alcohol consumption areas and creates three local-authority authorizations for multi-day civic events. He said stakeholder engagement included one formal comment from the Seattle Department of Transportation and testimony from the Washington Association for Substance Misuse and Violence Prevention at the public hearing. Daniel said staff will make a minor clarification to the proposed rule language to define a "multi-day event" as not exceeding 14 consecutive days.

Kevin and Daniel listed additional upcoming rule efforts including retail alcohol product-placement rules, cannabis advertising and retail management agreement rules, petition-driven R&D testing rules, and contract-kitchen rules for HB 1602, with stakeholder sessions and public-comment timelines through spring. Board members had no questions about the CR103 filings during the caucus; formal action was scheduled for the next board meeting.