WSLCB - Board Meeting
(September 2, 2020)

Wednesday September 2, 2020 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Observed
WSLCB Enforcement Logo

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) convenes a meeting of the three-member Board every two weeks to consider formal rulemaking actions and hear public testimony.

Board Adoption of CR-103

Written summaries for General Comments are appreciated. Please submit your comments to dustin.dickson@lcb.wa.gov. One can also comment at the end of the meeting via WebEx. If you wish to speak to the Board during “General Public Comments”, you must e-mail dustin.dickson@lcb.wa.gov before that agenda item begins, preferably by close-of-business on Tuesday September 1. Dustin will provide additional instructions and a link to connect to the WebEx through your computer. Comments will be limited to four minutes per person. These instructions are separate from the dial-in number below which is for listening/observation only.

WSLCB Announcement (Sep 1, 2020)

Observations

The WSLCB Board adopted substantially revised True Party of Interest (TPI) and financier rules, concluding a rulemaking project begun in October 2018.

The WSLCB Board adopted substantially revised True Party of Interest (TPI) rules and heard public comment from an advocate of increasingly influential prevention perspectives.

Here are some observations from the Wednesday September 2nd Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Meeting.

My top 3 takeaways:

  • The Board adopted final changes to True Party of Interest (TPI) regulations, closing out a long running rulemaking project.
    • Initially opened in October 2018, revisions to TPI rules were going to move in conjunction with cannabis penalties before lengthy discussions with stakeholders, including a work group and listen and learn session, resulted in agency staff slowing the project down. The Board voted to adopt proposed changes on June 24th, and hosted a public hearing for the proposal on August 5th.
      • See Cannabis Observer’s TPI rulemaking project information set which collects documents from all rulemaking stages. We plan to build on this approach to provide persistent landing screens for every rulemaking project.
    • Policy and Rules Manager Kathy Hoffman presented the CR-103 to board members and acknowledged the “significant, protracted, and collective effort” of WSLCB staff, licensees, their representatives, and other interested parties (audio - 4m).
      • Hoffman said five comments had been received following adoption of the CR-102 in June, two at the public hearing, and three during the public comment period.
      • She explained that each comment had been addressed in the concise explanatory statement included with the CR-103 materials. “After careful review and consideration of all, the rules offered for adoption today have not changed since the original proposal,” Hoffman said.
      • The final rules would “modernize language, remove spousal vetting requirement, incorporate reference to the relevant amendments of RCW 69.50.395 regarding disclosure agreements and intellectual property, and establish a new section of rule to distinguish the requirements for financiers from that of true parties of interest.”
      • Hoffman reviewed the implementation plan included in the CR-103’s memorandum which documented “how the agency will inform and educate persons who are impacted by these rules” in addition to “how we will promote and support compliance, and how LCB staff will be trained and informed of these rules.” Moreover, the plan included how “LCB will evaluate the effectiveness of these rules.”
      • Satisfied, board members voted to approve the changes without further questions. Hoffman filed the CR-103 with the Washington State Office of the Code Reviser (OCR) later that day and the new TPI rules take effect on October 3rd.
  • Staff provided an abbreviated version of rulemaking updates shared with the Board the day prior, sharing one new point of information about the Quality Control rulemaking project.
    • See all the rulemaking updates from the week’s board caucus.
    • HB 2826 Implementation (WSR 20-15-041, audio - 1m). Policy and Rules Coordinator Casey Schaufler noted that the first of two listen and learn forums on draft conceptual rules had drawn over 100 observers and participants. A second session on September 29th covering “draft conceptual rules for new proposed section 314-55-5501” and “discussion of a marijuana ingredients disclosure form” would be more formally announced by September 15th.
      • Noting the large attendance at the session, Rushford said Hoffman’s work on outreach was “impressive and appreciated” (audio - <1m).
      • Although Cannabis Observer also counted more than 100 attendees, the majority quietly observed the proceedings and only nine participants offered comments throughout the forum which adjourned ahead of schedule.
    • Quality Control (QC) Testing and Product Requirements (WSR 20-03-176, audio - 1m). Hoffman told the Board that a Supplemental CR-102 for the rulemaking project would be presented at the September 30th board meeting. She expected a public hearing would be scheduled for November 18th leading towards adoption of final rules in early 2021.
  • During general public comment, a prevention advocate continued that community’s outreach to the Board.

Engagement Options

Phone

Number: 1.415.655.0001
Pin: 133 552 2122

Information Set