(1)(a) If the department determines that a taxpayer is more than thirty days delinquent in reporting or remitting spirits taxes on a tax return or assessed by the department, including any applicable penalties and interest on such taxes, the department may request that the liquor and cannabis board suspend the taxpayer’s spirits license or licenses and refuse to renew any existing spirits license held by the taxpayer or issue any new spirits license to the taxpayer. The department must provide written notice to the affected taxpayer of the department’s request to the liquor and cannabis board.

(b) Before the department may make a request to the liquor and cannabis board as authorized in (a) of this subsection (1), the department must have provided the taxpayer with at least seven calendar days prior written notice. This notice must inform the taxpayer that the department intends to request that the liquor and cannabis board suspend the taxpayer’s spirits license or licenses and refuse to renew any existing license of the taxpayer or issue any new spirits license to the taxpayer unless, within seven calendar days of the date of the notice, the taxpayer submits any unfiled tax returns for reporting spirits taxes and remits full payment of its outstanding spirits tax liability to the department or negotiates payment arrangements for the unpaid spirits taxes. The notice required by this subsection (1)(b) must include information listing any unfiled tax returns; the amount of unpaid spirits taxes, including any applicable penalties and interest; who to contact to inquire about payment arrangements; and that the taxpayer may seek administrative review by the department of the notice, and the deadline for seeking such review. Nothing in this subsection (1)(b) requires the department to enter into any payment arrangement proposed by a taxpayer if the department determines that the taxpayer’s proposal is not satisfactory.

(c) The department may not make a request to the liquor and cannabis board under (a) of this subsection relating to any spirits taxes that are the subject of pending administrative review by the department.

(2) A taxpayer’s right to administrative review of the notice required in subsection (1)(b) of this section:

(a) May be conducted under any rule adopted pursuant to RCW 82.01.060(4) or as a brief adjudicative proceeding under RCW 34.05.485 through 34.05.494; and

(b) Does not include the right to challenge the amount of any spirits taxes assessed by the department if the taxpayer previously sought or could have sought administrative review of the assessment as provided in RCW 82.32.160.

(3) The notices required by this section may be provided electronically in accordance with RCW 82.32.135.

(4) For purposes of this section:

(a) “Spirits license” has the same meaning as in RCW 66.24.010(3)(c); and

(b) “Spirits taxes” means the taxes imposed in RCW 82.08.150.

Construction—2012 c 39: “This act must be liberally construed to effectuate the intent of the legislature to provide for the effective collection of liquor taxes imposed in RCW 82.08.150.” [ 2012 c 39 § 9.]

Effective date—2012 c 39: “This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 15, 2012].” [ 2012 c 39 § 11.]