Governor to decide if liquor contract is state emergency

This Wednesday Governor Gregoire will take action on the remaining bills from the special session including a proposal to request a contract for running the state's liquor distribution monopoly. Despite this proposal (SB 5942) not being assumed for the budget, an emergency clause was added to the bill meaning a referendum could not be run on the bill and the contract review process would take effect immediately. The emergency clause has worried supporters of a new initiative to end the state's prohibition era liquor monopoly. They believe SB 5942 could short circuit voters' opportunity to consider their new liquor reform proposal . . . READ MORE