Washington State Liquor Control Board
 |
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 23, 1934 |
| Type | Liquor control board |
| Jurisdiction |
 Washington
|
| Headquarters | 3000 Pacific Avenue S.E. Olympia, Washington, United States |
| Employees | 111 |
| Agency executives |
|
| Key document | |
| Website | Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board |
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, formerly the Washington State Liquor Control Board, is an administrative agency of the State of Washington. The Liquor and Cannabis Board is part of the executive branch and reports to the Governor. The board's primary function is the licensing of on and off premises establishments which sell any type of alcohol, and the enforcement and education of the state's alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis laws.
In November 2011, citizen's initiative 1183 was passed to end the state monopoly on liquor sales that has held since the end of prohibition, beginning June 1, 2012. State and local government revenues are projected to increase by $42 million and $38 million respectively over the next six years as a result along with a 48 percent increase in alcohol consumption.
In November 2012, citizen's initiative 502 was passed legalizing the recreational use of cannabis and assigning regulation of the cannabis industry to the then Liquor Control Board. The board's name was officially changed to reflect the addition of cannabis effective July 24, 2015.
Alcohol prohibition was repealed by Washington Initiative 61 in 1932, and from 1933 to 2012, the WSLCB was the sole distributor of all liqueurs and spirits in the state. In addition, they were also the primary retailer: the state operated 167 stores, while 163 stores were operated by private businesses who contracted with the state for a commission on the sales. These contract stores were generally located in either smaller cities or more remote and rural areas, while the state stores were typically located in larger, more populated areas. Because the state was the sole distributor of all spirits, uniform pricing was set so that the price of any given product was the same from store to store no matter how rural or populated the area was.
Historically, off-premises Sunday sales of spirits were banned, and all liquor stores were closed. Consumers still had the option of purchasing beer or wine from grocery stores or on-premises spirits from bars and restaurants. In 2005, the state began allowing off-premises spirits sales in select stores on Sundays from 12pm to 5pm.
On the November 8, 2011 election, voters passed Initiative 1183, which brought several changes to the liquor distribution and retailing system. The most significant of these changes were the end to the state monopoly on liquor sales and distribution. On June 1, 2012, Washington completed its transition to private liquor sales. Under 1183, spirits may only be sold in premises of at least 10,000 sq ft, generally including grocery stores, warehouse clubs, department stores, and some larger specialty shops. Exceptions to the 10,000 sq ft rule are granted for any former state or contract store that has chosen to remain open under private ownership, and for establishments that are in a "trade area" where no building exists that meets the 10,000 sq ft requirement. The WSLCB has not yet defined "trade area".
...
Wikipedia