LAKE STEVENS — Shane McDaniel will raise a “growler” today to toast the arrival of a new state law.
And then he plans to fill the 64-ounce glass jug with a microbrew, seal it and sell it — which he’s never been able to do until now.
“It’s going to be great for our business. It’ll gen
erate money for the local economy. It’s going to be good for everybody,” said McDaniel, an owner of Norm’s Market, which has one of the region’s largest stocks of specialty beers.
The law expanding the number of places where growlers can be sold is one of 426 bills passed by lawmakers and sig
ned by Gov. Chris Gregoire this year.
The vast majority take effect today. They include revised rules for medical marijuana patients and parents looking to exempt their children from school immunization requirements. There are tougher approaches to dealing with drunken drivers and mail thieves and a new program to help those facing the loss of their home through foreclosure.
While the prospect of more laws causes some to groan, it’s a source of smiles for those who make and sell hand-crafted beers. Many craft beers only come in kegs, which limits where they can be sold.
Until now, only breweries connected to food-serving pubs could legally sell a growler filled with keg beer.
Starting today, businesses for which beer and wine account for at least 50 percent of sales can get a special endorsement on their liquor license to sell growlers — which is what McDaniel is doing.
Also, restaurants with liquor licenses that sell malt liquor on tap can start offering growlers. Even a hotel licensed to sell spirits, beer and wine for on-premise consumption at a bar, or through room service, can begin filling and selling them.
“It’s great for Washington microbreweries in particular because out of 130 only about 30 of them bottle their beer,” McDaniel said.
Andy Eason, an owner of Diamond Knot Brewery and Alehouse in Mukilteo, applauds the new law. He’s been selling growlers at the brewery for a while and views the change as an opportunity to expand his market.
“Hopefully, it will really help out the entire craft brewing industry in Washington,” he said. “It’s going to be fun.”
On a related note, another new law will allow beer and wine tasting at selected farmer markets around the state. Ten farmer markets will be included in a pilot project set to last from September through November 2012.
Here are some of the other new laws that become effective today.
Medical marijuana
Qualified patients can unite to grow marijuana for medical use. Up to 10 patients can create a collective garden and harvest up to 45 plants and 72 ounces of useable cannabis.
However, patients who do this might still face trouble with the police. That’s because the new law also lets cities and counties decide whether to allow them; those that do can regulate where they operate.
Many cities are banning the gardens, at least for a few months, while elected leaders sort out what they want to do. Everett, Marysville, Lake Stevens and Snohomish have done so.
Snohomish County Council members will take up the question next week. Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said this week he wants the council to impose a moratorium.
Foreclosure
A new effort starts today to help homeowners avert losing their home through foreclosure.
The Washington State Foreclosure Fairness Act Mediation Program will offer homeowners access to financial counselors, mediators and attorneys.
As spelled out in the law, homeowners who have received a notice of trustee’s sale but whose house has not been sold as of today, and those who have received a notice of default but have not yet received a notice of trustee’s sale, may request mediation.
Funding for the program comes from a fee imposed on lenders and servicers conducting more than 250 foreclosures a year.
DUI vehicle impounds
Those arrested on suspicion of drunken driving can expect to have their cars towed and impounded for 12 hours. A new law makes towing mandatory for every DUI arrest unless it is a commercial or farm transport vehicle that could be released at the scene to an owner who is sober.
The intent is to keep those arrested from going back to their cars and driving before they sober up, explained Washington State Patrol spokesman Bob Calkins. The problem in the past, he noted, was that many counties lacked jail space, so drunken drivers were booked and released and back behind the wheel before alcohol wore off.
While all cars will be towed, Calkins said the law allows a sober co-owner to get a vehicle out of the tow lot before the 12 hours are up.
Identity theft
Washington is creating a new criminal statute for mail theft in hopes of curbing the incidence of identity theft. Until now state law did not distinguish between mail theft and other misdemeanor thefts.
A person will be guilty of this newly defined crime if he or she steals mail addressed to three or more mailboxes and has a minimum of 10 pieces of stolen mail.
Elections
The 2012 presidential primary is officially canceled. That means next year Democrats and Republicans will select delegates for their respective presidential candidates solely through party-run caucuses.
Another new law requires the statewide primary in 2012 be held a couple of weeks earlier in August.
Traffic cameras
School buses can now be equipped with cameras to photograph vehicles that illegally pass a bus that is stopped to let students on and off. A decision to place the cameras on the outside of a bus must be made by the school board in a public meeting.
Immunizations
There are new rules for parents or guardians who wish to exempt their children from school or child care immunization requirements. They must now have a licensed health care provider sign the certificate of exemption that is turned in to a school or child care facility.
There are exceptions. Parents or guardians who are members of a church or religious group that does not allow medical treatment of a child by a health care provider do not need to include a provider’s signature.
Education
An Office of Native Education is created within the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in hopes of better serving academic needs of American Indian students.
The office, which replaces the existing Indian Education Office, will develop curricula and instructional materials for public schools in the areas of native languages, culture and history, and the concept of tribal sovereignty.
In higher education, the state formalized ties with Western Governors University, a private, not-for-profit online university. WGU Washington will be born and recognized by the state as a baccalaureate degree-granting institution. Lawmakers want to see credits earned through online education transferable to the state’s two- and four-year colleges.
Also today, a new program is launched to provide low-interest loans to students at the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center at Paine Field and the Spokane Aerospace Technology Center set to open later this year.
License plates
Two more specialty license plates are created and each carries an initial cost of $40.
One features the “Music Matters” logo, and funds raised from sales will be steered into music education programs in public schools. The other recognizes volunteer firefighters and will feature artwork related to firefighting. That one is only available for purchase by that group of firefighters.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-253-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com
More on new laws
To find out more about new laws taking effect, go to tinyurl.com/3g5bkhh.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
