A bill currently in the state Legislature will, if passed, allow underage students in Washington state universities to taste alcohol in prescribed classes, said Christopher Mulick, the WSU director of state relations.

A bill passed last year stating underage students in Washington state community colleges and technical schools studying wine science or hospitality could taste wine in corresponding classes, Mulick said.

This new bill will go to the house in the middle of to add universities to the list, he said.

“This is the stuff you want to take seriously,” Mulick said.

Mulick said developing classroom protocols in Washington universities took a year to plan.

Underage students will not be able to consume the wine, but they can taste it and spit it out, he said. Up to six tastes per hour of class would be allowed and a faculty member or assistant will pour the wine.

Thomas Henick-Kling, the WSU director and professor of the viticulture and enology program, said he discussed the outcomes of this bill with faculty at community colleges. The system has been positive at community colleges and is transferable to state universities, he said.

Encouraging proof from community colleges means success for state universities, said John K. Fellman, a professor in the department of horticulture.

“If it passed at the community college, it should be a no brainer for the university,” Fellman said.

The bill will better prepare viticulture and enology students for the work force, Fellman said.

“If you’re going to teach sub-21-year-olds how to make wine and they can’t taste it, (that’s) probably not the best educational experience,” Fellman said.

Mulick said it’s essential for students to be knowledgeable in their field of studies.

“(It’s) a certain element of the educational process that would not have been available to students before,” Mulick said. “For instance, you wouldn’t sign up for a culinary program but not taste the pastries you make. We’ve been providing instruction without allowing some of our students to actually gain the experience.”

The drinking age conflicts with some minors’ ability in the viticulture and enology program to take higher-level courses, said Jansen VanderMeulen, ASWSU director of legislative affairs.

“That puts an impediment in their way and makes it more difficult for them to complete a degree in four years, and slows down the production of qualified graduates to our wine industry,” VanderMeulen said.

If the bill is passed, Fellman said he does not perceive future conflicts in the classroom.

“The naysayers would be going, ‘Well, this could be abused…’ (Students) abuse offsite all the time anyway. It’s Wazzu,” Fellman said. “That’s not our problem and never was. On campus, in a formal setting, I guarantee nothing bad will ever happen as a result of this, from what I’ve seen (and) the way students comport themselves.”

Faculty who teach these classes will have to complete alcohol service permit training, which is also offered to students, Henick-Kling said. Anyone who is serving alcohol to the public should be aware of the rules, he said.

Mulick said the bill looks promising.

“If you look at the votes from last year they were pretty sweeping,” he said. “Certainly I would expect a few no votes, and we understand and appreciate that, and that’s why we wanted to take a year to look at this and make sure we do it right.”