This bill proposes an increase in alcohol taxes in Washington State by amending existing laws related to the taxation of wine, cider, and beer. Key changes include raising the tax rates on wine and cider sold to distributors, with specific rates set at twenty and one-fourth cents per liter for wine and three and fifty-nine one-hundredths cents per liter for cider. Additionally, the bill introduces new tax rates for fortified wine and other types of wine, with the tax on fortified wine increasing to $0.4688 per liter and the tax on other wine (excluding cider) set at $0.02 per liter. For cider, a new tax of $0.0563 per liter is established, while the existing tax structure is modified to reflect these changes.

For beer, the bill raises the tax from $2 to $4 per barrel of thirty-one gallons and introduces a new tax of $9.56 per barrel for sales after June 30, 1997. It also specifies that breweries entitled to a reduced tax rate under federal law will have a different tax structure, with the first 60,000 barrels taxed at $1.4375 per barrel. The bill further establishes that the additional tax rate under RCW 66.24.210(2) will be increased to 14 percent. The act is deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, or safety, and is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 66.24.210, 66.24.290, 82.02.030