The commission shall:

     (1) Elect a chair and officers. The officers must 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 expense of the commission. The commission must adopt rules for its own governance that provide for the holding of an annual meeting for the election of officers and the transaction of other business and for other meetings the commission may direct;

     (2) Do all things reasonably necessary to effect the purposes of this chapter. However, the commission has no rule-making power except as provided in this chapter;

     (3) Employ and discharge managers, secretaries, agents, attorneys, and employees and engage the services of independent contractors;

     (4) Retain, as necessary, the services of private legal counsel to conduct legal actions on behalf of the commission. The retention of a private attorney is subject to review by the office of the attorney general;

     (5) Receive donations of beer from producers for promotional purposes under subsections (6) and (7) of this section and for fund-raising purposes under subsection (8) of this section. Donations of beer for promotional purposes may only be disseminated without charge;

     (6) Engage directly or indirectly in the promotion of Washington beer, including, without limitation, the acquisition in any lawful manner and the dissemination without charge of beer. This dissemination is not deemed a sale for any purpose and the commission is not deemed a producer, supplier, or manufacturer, or the clerk, servant, or agent of a producer, supplier, distributor, or manufacturer. This dissemination without charge shall be for agricultural development or trade promotion, and not for fund-raising purposes under subsection (8) of this section. Dissemination for promotional purposes may include promotional hosting and must in the good faith judgment of the commission be in the aid of the marketing, advertising, sale of beer, or of research related to such marketing, advertising, or sale;

     (7) Promote Washington beer by conducting unique beer tastings without charge;

     (8) Beginning July 1, 2007, fund the Washington beer commission through sponsorship of up to twelve beer festivals annually at which beer may be sold to festival participants. For this purpose, the commission would qualify for issue of a special occasion license as an exception to WAC 314-05-020 but must comply with laws under Title 66 RCW and rules adopted by the liquor control board under which such events may be conducted;

     (9) Participate in international, federal, state, and local hearings, meetings, and other proceedings relating to the production, regulation, distribution, sale, or use of beer including activities authorized under RCW 42.17.190, including the reporting of those activities to the public disclosure commission;

     (10) Acquire and transfer personal and real property, establish offices, incur expenses, and enter into contracts, including contracts for the creation and printing of promotional literature. The contracts are not subject to chapter 43.78 RCW, and are cancelable by the commission unless performed under conditions of employment that substantially conform to the laws of this state and the rules of the department of labor and industries. The commission may create debt and other liabilities that are reasonable for proper discharge of its duties under this chapter;

     (11) Maintain accounts with one or more qualified public depositories as the commission may direct, for the deposit of money, and expend money for purposes authorized by this chapter by drafts made by the commission upon such institutions or by other means;

     (12) Cause to be kept and annually closed, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, accurate records of all receipts, disbursements, and other financial transactions, available for audit by the state auditor;

     (13) Create and maintain a list of producers and disseminate information among and solicit the opinions of producers with respect to the discharge of the duties of the commission, directly or by arrangement with trade associations or other instrumentalities;

     (14) Employ, designate as an agent, act in concert with, and enter into contracts with any person, council, commission, or other entity to promote the general welfare of the beer industry and particularly to assist in the sale and distribution of Washington beer in domestic and foreign commerce. The commission shall expend money necessary or advisable for this purpose and to pay its proportionate share of the cost of any program providing direct or indirect assistance to the sale and distribution of Washington beer in domestic or foreign commerce, employing and paying for vendors of professional services of all kinds;

     (15) Sue and be sued as a commission, without individual liability for acts of the commission within the scope of the powers conferred upon it by this chapter;

     (16) Serve as liaison with the liquor control board on behalf of the commission and not for any individual producer;

     (17) Until July 1, 2009, receive such gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the commission and expend the same or any income therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments.

[2007 c 211 § 1; 2006 c 330 § 8.]