Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 15.88 · 23 active provisions
The legislature declares that:(1) Marketing is a dynamic and changing part of Washington agriculture and a vital element in expanding the state economy.(2) The sale in the state and export to other states and abroad of wine made in the state contribute substantial benefits to the economy of the state, provide a large n…
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.(1) "Commission" means the Washington wine commission.(2) "Director" means the director of agriculture or the director's duly appointed representative.(3) "Department" means the department of agriculture.(4) "Pe…
The history, economy, culture, and future of Washington state's agriculture involves the wine industry. In order to develop and promote wine grapes and wine as part of an existing comprehensive scheme to regulate those products the legislature declares:(1) That it is vital to the continued economic well-being of the ci…
(1) There is created an agricultural commodity commission to be known and designated as the Washington wine commission. The commission shall be composed of twelve voting members and one nonvoting member; five voting members shall be growers, five voting members shall be wine producers, one voting member shall be the di…
The appointed voting positions on the commission shall be designated as follows: The wine producers shall be designated positions one, two, three, four, and five; the growers shall be designated positions six, seven, eight, nine, and ten; the wine wholesaler shall be position eleven; and the director shall be position…
(1) The director shall appoint the members of the commission. In making such appointments, the director shall take into consideration recommendations made by the growers' association and the wine institute as the persons recommended for appointment as members of the commission. In appointing persons to the commission,…
Obligations incurred by the commission and liabilities or claims against the commission shall be enforced only against the assets of the commission in the same manner as if it were a corporation and no liability for the debts or actions of the commission shall exist against either the state of Washington or any subdivi…
The powers and duties of the commission include:(1) To elect a chair and such officers as the commission deems advisable. The officers shall include a treasurer who is responsible for all receipts and disbursements by the commission and the faithful discharge of whose duties shall be guaranteed by a bond at the sole ex…
(1) The commission shall develop and submit to the director for approval any plans, programs, and projects concerning the following:(a) The establishment, issuance, effectuation, and administration of appropriate programs or projects for the advertising, promotion, and education of the affected commodities; and(b) The…
The commission exists primarily for the benefit of the people of the state of Washington and its economy. The legislature hereby charges the commission, with oversight by the director, to speak on behalf of the Washington state government with regard to wine grapes and wine.
The commission shall create, provide for, and conduct a comprehensive and extensive research, promotional, and educational campaign as crop, sales, and market conditions reasonably require. It shall investigate and ascertain the needs of producers, conditions of markets, and degree of public awareness of products, and…
The commission shall adopt as major objectives of its research, promotional, and educational campaign such goals as will serve the needs of producers, which may include, without limitation, efforts to:(1) Establish Washington wine as a major factor in markets everywhere;(2) Promote Washington wineries as tourist attrac…
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the vote of each of the voting members of the commission shall be weighted as provided by this subsection for the transaction of any of the business of the commission. The total voting strength of the entire voting membership of the commission shall be twelve vo…
(1) The commission shall cause a list to be prepared of all Washington growers from any information available from the department, growers' association, or wine producers. This list shall contain the names and addresses of all persons who grow vinifera grapes for sale or use by wine producers within this state and the…
(1) Pursuant to approval by referendum in accordance with RCW 15.88.140, commencing on July 1, 1989, there shall be levied, and the commission shall collect, upon all vinifera grapes grown within this state an annual assessment of three dollars per ton of vinifera grapes harvested to be paid by the grower of the grapes…
(1) For purposes of determining grower participation in the commission and assessment under RCW 15.88.130, the director shall conduct a referendum among all vinifera grape growers within the state. The requirements of assent or approval of the referendum will be held to be complied with if: (a) At least fifty-one perce…
The commission shall deposit moneys collected under RCW 15.88.130 in a separate account in the name of the commission in any bank that is a state depositary. All expenditures and disbursements made from this account under this chapter may be made without the necessity of a specific legislative appropriation. None of th…
A due and payable assessment levied in such specified amount as determined by the commission under RCW 15.88.130 constitutes a personal debt of every person so assessed or who otherwise owes the assessment, and the assessment is due and payable to the commission when payment is called for by the commission. If a person…
(1) Under RCW 42.56.380, certain agricultural business records, commission records, and department of agriculture records relating to the commission and producers of agricultural commodities are exempt from public disclosure.(2) Financial and commercial information and records submitted to either the department or the…
(1) The director may provide by rule for a method to fund staff support for all commodity boards or commissions in accordance with RCW 43.23.033 if a position is not directly funded by the legislature and costs related to the specific activity undertaken on behalf of an individual commodity board or commission. The com…
The commission must assist the legislative gift center in selecting the Washington wines the legislative gift center will sell as provided in RCW 44.73.015.
This act shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purposes.
(1) Sections 1 through 9 and 11 through 20 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1987.(2) Section 10 of this act shall take effect July 1, 1989.