Month: March 2023

On March 15, the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) approved a Preproposal Statement of Inquiry (CR 101) to consider allowing Class 13 MAST permit holders, in areas not restricted to minors, to open and pour wine and beer from bottles or cans away from the table. This would entail amending WAC 314-17-015 and repealing, amending and creating rule sections in Title 314 WAC, or both as necessary.

The Washington Wine Institute requested this rulemaking after the MAST 13 permit additional allowances expired when pandemic regulations for operations ended in September of 2022. Click the links below to learn more or to submit a public comment to the LCB by April 17.

The Washington Hospitality Grant Program – brought to you by the Washington State Department of Commerce – is now accepting applications.  

This program offers one-time grants to eligible restaurants, hotels, motels and other qualifying businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts.

The grant program is intended to support eligible small businesses that can demonstrate a 25% reduction in gross receipts or sales as a result of the pandemic. A portion of funding will be directed to reimburse lodging establishments that experienced loss during the state’s eviction moratorium.

About the Grant Program

Begin your application for a Washington Hospitality Grant!
Restaurants, bars, caterers, food trucks, bakeries, lodging businesses and other small hospitality organizations are eligible to apply for a one-time grant award. Use the application checklist to guide you through the application process and APPLY NOW.

One of the biggest cutoff dates of the session happened March 8th, when all bills must be voted out of their respective chambers to be still “alive” and worthy of further consideration.

For WWI priorities this session, we are excited to share that a few of our top priority legislative proposals continue to move through the process while other very concerning bills we worked hard to educate lawmakers on the harm they would cause and to not support them moving forward by the March 8th cutoff.

HB 1258, a 300% increase in dedicated tourism funding for Washington State, passed the House 96-0.

SB 5448, our alcohol-to-go and outdoor seating modernization permanence bill, passed the Senate Wednesday afternoon (and just before the 5 PM cutoff deadline) by a vote of 38-10.

SB 5002, the .05 BAC bill, failed to receive a vote by the full Senate and for now appears to be no longer a consideration for this session.

Finally, HB 1131 a very long and comprehensive bill overhauling our waste management and recycling system died in the House Chamber.