WSLCB - Board Caucus
(March 1, 2022)

Tuesday March 1, 2022 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
WSLCB Enforcement Logo

The three-member board of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) meets weekly in caucus to discuss current issues and receive invited briefings from agency staff.

Observations

Staff explained the session was “coming to an end” and discussed active legislation—including a new cannabinoid regulation bill–as well as budget provisos which could affect WSLCB.

Here are some observations from the Tuesday March 1st Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus.

My top 3 takeaways:

  • Director of Legislative Relations Chris Thompson provided a status update on the legislative session which Board Chair David Postman noted was “coming to an end next week” with the approach of sine die on March 10th.
  • Thompson also went over several appropriations in SB 5693, “Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations,” which could impact WSLCB.
    • Stating that both chambers had passed a supplemental operating budget, Thompson said they were now “resolving those differences” and highlighted several of the appropriations impactful for the agency (audio - <1m, video).
    • WSLCB - Section 140(10) - Cannabis Retail Robberies Task Force
    • WSLCB - Section 140(11) - Cannabis Retail Study
      • Thompson indicated legislators had allocated “$150,000 for LCB to conduct a study of cannabis retail outlets and the practice of assigning licenses by city” (audio - <1m, video).
      • The proviso aimed “to determine if the practice is sufficient to meet the consumption rate and population of the state as well as the legislature's social equity goals.”
      • The concept was originally proposed by Representative Michelle Caldier as an unsuccessful amendment to HB 2022, failed legislation which would have encoded Washington State Legislative Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis (WA SECTF) recommendations to permit additional retail license allotments for qualifying social equity applicants. Senator June Robinson then offered a very similar idea as an amendment to SB 5693.
        • In 2020, lawmakers asked the WA SECTF to study and make recommendations on “Whether any additional cannabis producer, processor, or retailer licenses should be issued beyond the total number of licenses that have been issued as of June 11, 2020.”
        • WA SECTF staff had previously marshaled data showing Washington state has fewer cannabis retailers per capita than other comparable states regulating the plant for adult use.
    • Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WA CJTC) - Section 218(27) - Limited Authority Law Enforcement Training
  • In order to achieve passage during the regular session, bills must be advanced through their “opposite house” before Friday March 4th at 5pm, a week before the end of the 2022 session.
    • Thompson mentioned the legislative cutoff calendar and surmised “all the action will be on the floor this week.” Next week, legislators would resolve “differences between House and Senate” versions of bills (audio - 1m, video).
    • Postman felt there was “a lot of work still to be done” at the capitol and Thompson mused that it would “be a long, short ten days.” Postman reminded Thompson of his offer to help with lawmaker engagement if needed and encouraged him to “get some rest” (audio - 1m, video).
    • Legislation passed by both chambers is first signed by:
    • After this point, ‘enrolled legislation’ is delivered to Governor Jay Inslee, who can sign or partially veto legislation before it becomes law, unless he chooses to veto it altogether.
      • Bills passed more than five days before adjournment of the session can be acted upon within five days once delivered to Inslee’s office. If no action is taken, the bill automatically becomes law.
      • For bills passed within five days of adjournment of the session, Inslee has 20 days to sign or veto them.

Engagement Options

Phone

Number: 1.564.999.2000
Conference ID: 439 947 544#

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