The Washington State House Consumer Protection and Business Committee (WA House CPB) considers consumer protection and consumer education issues; the licensing and regulation of businesses; and the regulation of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and vapor products as well as product safety and access. The committee also considers issues relating to the activities of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner; the solvency of insurance companies; the rates and practices of insurance companies; and financial services issues, including the safety and soundness of state banks and credit unions, the regulation of consumer credit and lending, and the regulation of securities and investments.
WA House CPB - Committee Meeting
(January 29, 2025)
- USA - Washington
- Washington State House Consumer Protection and Business Committee
- WA House CPB - Committee Meeting
Wednesday January 29, 2025 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Observed

Observations
A committee questioned 20 people testifying on a bill to legalize home growing, but one legislator stood out for asking complex hypotheticals on conspiracies and insurance.
Here are some observations from the Tuesday January 28th Washington State House Consumer Protection and Business Committee (WA House CPB) Committee Meeting.
My top 3 takeaways:
- Committee Counsel Peter Clodfelter briefed on HB 1449, “Home cultivation of cannabis,” before facing several questions from Representative Kristine Reeves later in the hearing.
- When passed in 2012, Initiative 502 (I-502) didn’t cover the right of adults to grow their own cannabis, though the allowance subsequently became common among states that have legalized the plant. As far back as 2015, legislation had been proposed to allow limited cultivation allowances for those 21 and older; the most recent iteration in 2024 was HB 2194.
- Clodfelter went over the particulars of the legislation outlined in the bill analysis (audio - 1m, video - TVW).
- Legalizes the production and possession of six cannabis plants and the cannabis and cannabis products derived from the plants, by a person age 21 and over, on the premises of the housing unit occupied by the person.
- Creates civil infractions related to odor and visibility of the activity, and also to penalize the production and knowing possession of more than six cannabis plants but fewer than 16 cannabis plants.
- Specifies it remains a class C felony to produce and knowingly possess 16 or more cannabis plants.
- Authorizes summary destruction of cannabis plants in excess of six by an investigating law enforcement officer or agency, restricts investigation and enforcement by the Liquor and Cannabis Board [WSLCB], and modifies real property seizure and forfeiture provisions as they apply to cannabis.
- Following some testimony, Reeves asked Clodfelter questions regarding law enforcement, consumer education, and criminality components within the bill while highlighting Governor Bob Ferguson’s public stance on adding $100 million in the state budget for law enforcement (audio - 2m, video - TVW).
- Wondering if the legislation addressed the “law enforcement harms that have been discussed” related to the prior home grow bill, "relative to particularly communities that have moratoriums and the potential impacts on folk’s knowledge around what's legal and what's not legal." She suggested a new form of consumer education, specifically concerned if there was any way for residents to understand that it would no longer be legal for them to grow cannabis if they moved from a city where it was legal to one where it somehow was not, should the legislation pass.
- Although bans and moratoriums on the operation of cannabis businesses were in place in some jurisdictions around Washington, local governments haven’t been able to prohibit private possession or use of cannabis.
- Reeves further asked if the bill addressed and resolved “the criminality components” discussed in previous legislative iterations.
- Clodfelter responded that the bill did authorize an investigating law enforcement officer or agency to seize and destroy plants that were over the allowed six, and that it prevented and restricted WSLCB from enforcing requirements associated with licensing. However, he noted the legislation "doesn't talk about...some of those other concepts you might have talked about with law enforcement generally." He added that there were not any provisions in the bill specific to consumer education.
- Wondering if the legislation addressed the “law enforcement harms that have been discussed” related to the prior home grow bill, "relative to particularly communities that have moratoriums and the potential impacts on folk’s knowledge around what's legal and what's not legal." She suggested a new form of consumer education, specifically concerned if there was any way for residents to understand that it would no longer be legal for them to grow cannabis if they moved from a city where it was legal to one where it somehow was not, should the legislation pass.
- Following remarks from prime sponsor Representative Shelley Kloba, 12 people spoke in favor of the legislation, with aspects of personal choice, medical utility, and comparisons to homebrewing among the points made.
- Kloba characterized herself as an "accidental tourist in the world of cannabis.” She explained that medical cannabis patients had been able to grow a limited number of plants at home since 1998, and many other states that legalized recreational cannabis also allowed for home cultivation (audio - 6m, video - TVW).
- Kloba told the committee she cared very much about the health and welfare of children and would not bring the bill if she thought it increased access for youth. She said she’d "looked and looked and I cannot find any studies that talk about a higher rate of youth access in states that have legalized home grow.” Kloba noted that youth use in states that have legalized cannabis had remained flat or even decreased.
- Kloba stated that HB 1449 included safeguards, such as the requirement that the plants be grown out of sight of the general public and without odor emanating from the place they are being grown. She further noted that the bill wouldn’t change the fact that it was illegal for those under 21 to possess cannabis, or for anyone to grow or sell cannabis commercially without a license.
- In addition to sponsoring the prior version of home growing legislation in 2024, Kloba spoke in Seattle at the March For Homegrow in August 2023. She’d previously spoken about her background as a leader on cannabis issues in remarks at an October 2022 event hosted by the Cannabis Alliance, and in a symposium convened by the University of Washington Addictions, Drug, and Alcohol Institute (UW ADAI) in September 2022.
- Chair Amy Walen asked if the bill was analogous to home brewing beer or making wine at home, to which Kloba remarked, "I think that is a very good way to think about it.” She suggested the craft beer revolution inspired people to brew their own beer at home and that it did not have a negative impact. "I think it kind of created an increased appreciation of just how hard it is to create really good beer consistently over time,” she observed. Kloba also extended the metaphor to include home wine making and stated that neither of those activities increased youth access to alcohol (audio - 2m, video - TVW).
- Erik Johansen (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- A former state employee, Johansen regarded HB 1449 as being about common sense and fairness. He stated that since the passage of I-502, cannabis taxes and fees generated approximately $3.8 billion in the state, thousands of jobs were created, adults were not being arrested for using cannabis, and illegal cannabis use by teenagers had notably decreased. Johansen referred to the history of home growing legislation and pointed out that Washington state was an outlier among west coast states by not allowing limited cultivation.
- Johansen explained that the existing law limited home cultivation of cannabis to adults with a medical authorization, which he argued created a confusing situation for some households in Washington. He offered the example of his wife having a medical authorization that allowed her to grow cannabis while he did not. He asked, "is it legal for me to water and fertilize my wife's cannabis plants,” before adding "I would prefer not to commit a Class C felony just because it's my turn to take care of the vegetable garden.”
- Micah Sherman, Raven Co-Owner and Washington Sun and Craft Growers Association (WSCA) Board Member (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Sherman was supportive of the ability for residents to grow their own cannabis at home, stating it would strengthen the cannabis economy. He expected home cultivation would provide consumers with an understanding of what cannabis farmers did for a living, which he believed would make the cannabis economy stronger.
- Sherman explained that consumers typically didn’t understand what goes into the products, and that this is due to "a lack of understanding of the plant." Not allowing people to attempt to grow their own at home restricted better understanding, and remedying this would lead to a "material relationship that comes with that direct relationship between plants and people." He echoed the sentiment that home grow was akin to the craft beer revolution which he asserted came about because people engaged in brewing.
- Sherman posited that cannabis legalization policy should be centered around a harm reduction approach. He stated that if there was an activity that was already happening, "and we can legalize it instead of criminalize it, and the harms to society reduce as a result of that policy, we should do that."
- Sherman concluded by stating that the legislation would make something that was already happening legal, and "it's reducing the harm that could come from its criminalization."
- Don Skakie, Homegrown Washington Founder (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Skakie described Homegrow Washington as "an organization of several hundred productive citizens, law abiding citizens that simply want to grow a few plants for our own consumption." With underage cannabis use down compared to pre-legalization, he stressed "responsible citizens" didn’t want to be contributing to any delinquencies of minors.
- Skakie stated that he had been an authorized medical patient since 2010 and had grown various numbers of plants over the years as the laws changed without incident.
- Levi Lyon (audio - 3m, video - TVW)
- While Lyon’s official position on the measure was ‘other,’ he provided largely encouraging remarks about the bill, calling it a step forward by enabling access to cannabis for nutrition and healing. However, he also expressed concerns about “vague regulations on smell visibility and plant count invite prejudice and discrimination from enforcement agencies.” He remained troubled since such systematic abuse was well documented, referring to his own 2019 arrest as an example, where he was arrested for letting people smoke cannabis in his RV during a private food and clothing drive. He directed the committee to look up the John Jung testimony from January 19, 2022, and seconded concerns raised by the former WSLCB Enforcement officer.
- Lyon said that there must be “no more criminalization or oppressive access,” and stated, "we must deschedule and decriminalize." He provided a series of key words related to the bioavailability of cannabis and the biochemistry of people, including "transhumanism…biohumanism, ethos, empathy, hope, humility, love, free thought, consciousness, individualism.” Turning to the plant, Lyon added “homeostasis, hormesis, entheogens, the endocannabinoid system, cannabis terpenes, flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins" as terms legislators should familiarize themselves with. He indicated that he was happy to speak with committee members after the hearing about what he’d learned and how "we're going to end the war."
- Bailey Hirschburg, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML, audio - 3m, video - TVW)
- Hirschburg noted his background as an I-502 volunteer organizer, stating how he heard many people say they were not voting for I-502 because it did not allow for home grow, but he never had anyone say that they were voting for it specifically because the initiative did not allow home cultivation. He argued that after more than a decade, a clear pattern had emerged, with Washington as an outlier not allowing adults to grow their own cannabis. He said that the I-502 campaign was titled "new approach" because it was the beginning of a dialogue about better cannabis policy and was "not meant to be a definitive answer.”
- Hirschburg relayed his view that law enforcement should focus on large-scale, criminally-connected grows rather than home grows, and he didn’t think that robberies at well-publicized cannabis businesses replete with cash would follow people to private residences. Hirschburg further pointed out that officials could easily outline best practices for safe growing online similar to Colorado, or Virginia, or Massachusetts. He also felt criminalization of small plant counts incentivized individuals to hide grows in unsafe conditions.
- Hirschburg commented that the Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) had shown a continued decline in cannabis use by teens in Washington, and other surveys from states with adult cultivation had shown similar findings. Urging passage of HB 1449, Hirschburg advised strategies “focus[ed] on youth prevention, which is actually getting it from people or buying it online.” He concluded that teens were “not waiting for their parents to become master gardeners” after passage of the bill.
- John Kingsbury, Cannabis Alliance Patients Committee (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Observing that he’d been testifying on the topic for almost a decade, Kingsbury had found the objections perennially raised were unfounded. He noted that 21 states and the District of Columbia permitted limited cultivation. Kingsbury had heard two general concerns about home grow: first, that everyone would grow and tax revenues would collapse, and second, that it would increase access for children.
- Regarding the concern that everyone would grow at home, Kingsbury said, "those who worry that everyone will go out and grow have no idea, no idea how difficult it is to grow cannabis well. It is not at all like growing tomatoes." He also stated that it cost him $3 per gram, plus space in his home and a lot of work.
- Considering concerns about access for children, Kingsbury stated that cultivating homegrown cannabis was the most difficult way to get cannabis, and that any household where someone chose to grow almost certainly already had cannabis in it now. He suspected that minors would continue to get cannabis the same way they had been doing it: by having someone's older sibling buy it for them from the store, or by ordering “THC gummies off the internet.”
- Cannabis cultivation had contributed to the mass incarceration of individuals, and Kingsbury felt there was “something fundamentally wrong with saying growing cannabis should be legal for [licensed businesses] because they want to make money, but it should be a Class C felony for these other folks because they don't.” He concluded by wishing the committee would trust their constituents as much as the legislatures of 21 other states already trusted theirs.
- Observing that he’d been testifying on the topic for almost a decade, Kingsbury had found the objections perennially raised were unfounded. He noted that 21 states and the District of Columbia permitted limited cultivation. Kingsbury had heard two general concerns about home grow: first, that everyone would grow and tax revenues would collapse, and second, that it would increase access for children.
- Tyler Markwart (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- A medical patient with over 25 years experience growing, Markwart appreciated being able to cultivate plants exactly how he would like them grown. He also stated that he’d studied organic agriculture and worked in the molecular plant science department at Washington State University (WSU) from 2008 to 2012, and that he’d worked in the recreational cannabis industry from 2014 to 2022 as a grower and hash maker. He offered to answer any questions about the cannabis industry, the plant itself, or anything pertaining to production, processing, or consumption.
- Besides medical utility, Markwart mentioned that gardening allowed him to make his own nutrients by growing and fermenting other plants, and that he used beneficial insects for pest control. He stated that this allowed him to “manage the amount of heavy metals and synthetic chemicals applied to his cannabis plant,” which helped to create a clean and safe product. Markwart said that growing at home also allowed him to explore other types of cultivars that were not usually grown in commercial settings, such as long-flowering tropical cannabis plants.
- Moreover, home growing allowed him to destroy plant material that wasn’t up to his standards, and that if his crop failed, he knew he wouldn't be consuming a product that was irradiated to pass microbial testing. Markwart stated that homegrown fruits, vegetables, and medicinal herbs had been a staple throughout time for survival and good health, and that allowing for home growing cannabis would help create more community.
- Vivian McPeak, Seattle Hempfest Founder (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Confident that the “vast majority” of cannabis consumers would continue to choose to buy from the commercial market, McPeak acknowledged a minority of users who would benefit from growing their own cannabis. Some would be patients with “special needs or requirements," while others just prefer to grow their own. He noted the history of Hempfest as a unique free speech event with "hundreds, if not 1000s of cannabis enthusiasts from all walks of life and economic strata. These are our neighbors and your constituents. Some are medical users, and some use recreationally. They and the vast majority of Washingtonians who imbibe cannabis, will always choose to patronize retail establishments to access cannabis products.”
- McPeak asserted that Washington state had the opportunity to create a more diverse and inclusive cannabis system by allowing home grows. He hoped lawmakers would pass HB 1449 and reiterated his doubt that the legislation would impact those who choose to buy their cannabis at retail stores.
- Cody Funderburk, Washington Cannabis Workers Club (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Funderburk, a certified medical cannabis consultant with a graduate degree “in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics from the University of Maryland,” testified in support of the bill and noted that homegrown cannabis had a far smaller carbon footprint compared to commercial indoor operations.
- Funderburk stated that it was widely acknowledged by both legislative bodies and the general public that cannabis prohibition had historically disproportionately penalized communities of color and low income communities for cannabis cultivation and possession. Legalizing home cultivation allowed these communities to reclaim the autonomy and dignity denied to them under punitive laws, they argued.
- Funderburk testified that shifting law enforcement resources away from minor grow operations to more pressing public safety concerns such as dispensary robberies was both practical and cost effective. They added that most robberies were for cash because there wasn’t the same level of cashless transactions as other retail industries.
- Funderburk noted a Seattle Times article on the impact of the packaging intensive nature of dispensary products and its effects on Seattle waterways, and that HB 1449 reflected the values enshrined in the Climate Commitment Act and Healthy Environment For All (HEAL) Act. Funderburk stated that there were cannabis products that couldn’t be purchased in stores, such as fresh leaves for making pressed juice or tea, and that these methods of using cannabis were preferred by many who perceive health benefits from the full plant.
- Anthony Martinelli, Marijuana Herald Founder (audio - 1m, video - TVW)
- Martinelli testified that he was a father of five and a former member of the Des Moines City Council. He argued the only reason the right to grow hadn’t been part of I-502 was that the authors considered it “politically risky” given that no state had legalized cannabis at the time. He remarked that the felony charge meant Washington State had the harshest penalties for growing a single plant of the states that had legalized recreational marijuana. Calling the political concerns around home growing “unfounded” in light of all the states which permitted it, Martinelli indicated that many people were “still shocked to find out that growing a single plant is a felony.”
- Joining others in using the home brewing analogy, Martinelli summed up that the legislation was “a simple, common sense proposal that honestly is long overdue. I urge you to consider passing it.”
- Lisa Olsen (audio - 3m, video - TVW)
- Caitlein Ryan, Cannabis Alliance Executive Director (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Ryan’s perspective was that continued criminalization of home cultivation perpetuated inequities, while allowing it made economic sense. She challenged the notion that HB 1449 be “viewed as expansion, but rather an effort for harm reduction.” The core question for Ryan was “do you believe that growing a couple of plants at home should be a Class C felony here in Washington state,” noting that every time she asked that, “the answer is resoundingly ‘no.’”
- Ryan highlighted the State v Blake decision ruling drug possession statutes unconstitutional in 2021, stating that felonizing adults growing six plants was another “outdated” law. Like the Blake ruling, banning home cultivation created “undue hardships, loss of opportunities, and costly reparations.”
- Ryan testified that home cultivation also made economic sense, and that a 2020 Washington State University study showed that home cultivation wouldn’t negatively impact cannabis revenues, and would raise the ceiling for future growth. Returning to home brewing, she regarded the practice as creating more sophisticated consumers who buy more frequently at higher price points. Stressing that she was a mother of four, Ryan assured lawmakers that households likely to grow cannabis already had “clear messaging to their children about controlled substances like cannabis,” and that the bill was “long overdue common sense reform.”
- Reeves asked if Ryan was correct that the legislation kept a Class C felony for production and knowing possession of 16 or more plants, “so it's still along the spectrum, [and] allows for a Class C felony.” She then posed a hypothetical “in a rental tenant situation where somebody comes in and says, ‘Cool, you live in apartment A, you live in apartment B, you live in apartment C, you live in apartment D’” with each apartment growing six plants as allowed in HB 1449. Reeves presumed this collectively “surpasses the 16 [plant] rule under this legislation, do you believe that the LCB would have the authority to enforce if they can prove knowingly…those four apartments were working in collaboration and coordination with one another? Do you believe that under this legislation, it should still remain a Class C felony?” Ryan deferred to WSLCB and that she wanted to think back to the presentation that was given to the Washington State House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee, in which law enforcement was “talking about some of these large busts that they were doing, and they explicitly said, ‘we're not talking about a couple of plants at home.’” She said the concern she’d heard was about having “hundreds of plants at home residences” (audio - 2m, video - TVW).
- In January 2024, Reeves posed a similar question to Ryan about the law enforcement implications of the previous home growing legislation.
- Tamara Weinmann, Bellevue Cannabis Company Owner (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- As a producer and processor, Weinmann said she supported HB 1449: “I'm all for this home grow opportunity for people, for a lot of the reasons that everyone else has stated.” She told the committee that more educated consumers could understand the complexities of growing quality cannabis. Weinmann additionally felt that the benefits to ancillary businesses hadn’t been emphasized. She noted hydroponic and gardening stores would get opportunities to sell supplies to home growers.
- Reeves was curious to hear Weinmann talk about the insurance she needed for her cannabis facilities and speculate on “the difference relative to commercial access to insurance, and whether or not you think that there would be any complications for insurance under property casualty for homeowners or…renters.” Weinmann acknowledged the insurance she was required to have as part of her cannabis license. “I think we carry 2 million per incident. But for a home grow, they're not selling it, they're consuming it themselves. I'm not really sure why they would have to have any special insurance or endorsement for it,” she answered. Reeves followed up to clarify that as cannabis remained a federally controlled substance, she wanted a sense “whether or not there might be insurance products in the market available to homeowners or renters to be able to insure their residents relative to this product…So my question, I think you've answered it in that you've highlighted that you can get commercial insurance for this. So I appreciate that” (audio - 2m, video - TVW).
- Reeves had also raised concerns about insurance during a previous home grow hearing in February 2023.
- In addition to those testifying, 165 signed in as supportive of HB 1449 (Testifying, Not Testifying).
- Besides Lyon, Michael Robinson also signed in to testify as ‘other,’ but wasn’t present. Three others signed in as ‘other’ on the bill.
- Kloba characterized herself as an "accidental tourist in the world of cannabis.” She explained that medical cannabis patients had been able to grow a limited number of plants at home since 1998, and many other states that legalized recreational cannabis also allowed for home cultivation (audio - 6m, video - TVW).
- Public health, law enforcement, and substance use prevention representatives continued to emphasize fears about crime, child safety, and the wording of the original legalization initiative as justifications for not moving forward with the legislation.
- Amy Brackenbury, Washington State Public Health Association Lobbyist (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Brackenbury started by highlighting that the 2023 HYS results showed 10th graders around the state reported accessing cannabis from social sources the majority of the time, “including 61% of the time from friends, 25% from home, either with or without permission, and 12% of the time from an older sibling.” As a result, she said the organization had “concerns that growing cannabis in the home could increase access for youth.” Brackenbury suggested her organization was concerned that “social norms within the home” given that "parental perception of cannabis and parental use of cannabis are strong indicators of whether youth will also use cannabis." Maintaining home environments that keep access low helped to reduce youth cannabis use rates, she argued.
- The data dashboard on AskHYS showed that statewide 10th graders reporting access to cannabis had been declining, going from a peak of 54.3% in 2010 to 30.8% in 2023. HYS cohorts of 8th and 12th graders also reported declining rates of cannabis use starting in 2012.
- Brackenbury stated that growing equipment like lights, ventilation, and temperature controls could overload home circuits and lead to fires. She argued that allowing medical patients to grow cannabis was sufficient, making the bill unnecessary, and encouraged a vote against the measure.
- Representative Stephanie McClintock asked Brackenbury for a link to the HYS, to which Brackenbury replied that she would be happy to send it to all of the committee members (audio - <1m, video - TVW).
- Representative Shelley Kloba asked Brackenbury if she had the same concerns about electrical equipment and safety risks for medical patient grows. Brackenbury stated they had equivalent concerns about the medical cannabis home growing law and the limits it imposed. Kloba then asked if the state should repeal the ability for medical patients to grow cannabis at home. Brackenbury replied, "I'm not here to advocate for that. I'm here to advocate against expanding it” (audio - 1m, video - TVW).
- Brackenbury started by highlighting that the 2023 HYS results showed 10th graders around the state reported accessing cannabis from social sources the majority of the time, “including 61% of the time from friends, 25% from home, either with or without permission, and 12% of the time from an older sibling.” As a result, she said the organization had “concerns that growing cannabis in the home could increase access for youth.” Brackenbury suggested her organization was concerned that “social norms within the home” given that "parental perception of cannabis and parental use of cannabis are strong indicators of whether youth will also use cannabis." Maintaining home environments that keep access low helped to reduce youth cannabis use rates, she argued.
- James McMahan, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) Policy Director (audio - 1m, video - TVW)
- McMahan stated that his organization's members were not fans of I-502 but that they recognize it was the will of the voters, “and candidly, many of the things that we were worried about with 502 have mostly come to fruition.” He said the initiative language offered a “silver lining” by specifying “a tightly regulated state licensed system” which WASPC members considered crucial wording in the initiative.
- McMahan highlighted reports of cannabis store robberies, noting their members had to respond to such crimes and “we don't want those dangers to follow people home.” Though appreciating limitations on visibility and odor in HB 1449, he indicated the organization wanted to see provisions in the bill about securing cannabis from access by young people, and called for the committee not to advance the bill.
- Steven Freng, Washington Association on Substance Misuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP) Co-Vice President (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Freng brought up his background in a managerial position with a federal drug law enforcement program and called out the impracticability of enforcement mechanisms over home growing. He felt the bill was unclear about which law enforcement agencies had responsibility for policing personal gardens. Freng stated that the federal government wouldn’t be bound by state laws and would have no obligation to follow HB 1449 if it became law, “with a possible exception involving extremely egregious violators, who are typically identified by neighbors.”
- Freng worked as Treatment Manager for the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (NW HIDTA) under the US Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and had been a planning team member for a series of closed door prevention roundtables organized by WSLCB.
- Freng felt that warrants and resources would be needed to oversee legal home grows and that there wasn’t enough deterrence for bartering cannabis or diverting it to the illicit market. He remarked that WASAVP hadn’t opposed medical cannabis grows, given “research has substantiated its medicinal properties.”
- Freng brought up his background in a managerial position with a federal drug law enforcement program and called out the impracticability of enforcement mechanisms over home growing. He felt the bill was unclear about which law enforcement agencies had responsibility for policing personal gardens. Freng stated that the federal government wouldn’t be bound by state laws and would have no obligation to follow HB 1449 if it became law, “with a possible exception involving extremely egregious violators, who are typically identified by neighbors.”
- Scott Waller, WASAVP Board Member (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
- Waller started off by mentioning I-502 lead author and campaign director Allison Holcomb had stated the initiative was written conservatively to exclude cannabis home grows for recreational use in order to broaden its voter appeal and to minimize any possibility of federal intervention. He claimed “what that means is that there was never an intention in the initiative to allow home grows to be part of state law.” Since adults could buy cannabis, they didn’t need to be able to grow it, he insisted.
- Waller also namedropped Holcomb in his opposition to HB 1067, legislation moving oversight authority for cannabis production from WSLCB to the Washington State Department of Agriculture. When reached for comment, Holcomb denied having a position on the bill, but was receptive to evolution of the “regulatory structure to enhance the state's opportunity to leverage its renowned agricultural expertise.”
- Holcomb publicly backed home grow rights in an open letter in 2017, discussing the matter with WSLCB board members in November 2022.
- Waller seconded the other objections about youth access since there weren’t storage requirements in the bill. He also claimed the bill would cost the state revenue, citing the 2024 fiscal note for the previous bill, HB 2194.
- The final fiscal note for that bill identified $633,000 in police training costs, but didn’t support Waller’s claim that “at least $635,000 would be lost in cannabis excise taxes.”
- The final fiscal note on HB 1449 suggested annual enforcement costs for WSLCB of $42,519, largely related to investigations of complaints about unlicensed commercial production. The local government costs predicted one-time city and county law enforcement retraining totaling $671,539 and “result in indeterminate savings due to fewer charges for a gross misdemeanor and felony related to cannabis possession.” The document also noted no changes in local government revenue, an indication measurable changes in cannabis sales weren’t anticipated.
- Waller also objected to the bill not expressly letting landlords prohibit the practice by renters, arguing that property owners would be left shouldering costs for destructive tenets. “Not to mention the fact that they would not be able to enforce any prohibitions they had against home grows anyway,” he said.
- Waller started off by mentioning I-502 lead author and campaign director Allison Holcomb had stated the initiative was written conservatively to exclude cannabis home grows for recreational use in order to broaden its voter appeal and to minimize any possibility of federal intervention. He claimed “what that means is that there was never an intention in the initiative to allow home grows to be part of state law.” Since adults could buy cannabis, they didn’t need to be able to grow it, he insisted.
- In addition to those testifying, 492 signed in opposed to the bill (Testifying, Not Testifying).
- Amy Brackenbury, Washington State Public Health Association Lobbyist (audio - 2m, video - TVW)
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Timeline
WA Legislature - 2025-26 - HB 1346 - Milestone - House of Origin Policy Committee Public Hearing - v1
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Revised
WA Legislature - 2025-26 - HB 1348 - Milestone - House of Origin Policy Committee Public Hearing - v1
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Revised
WA Legislature - 2025-26 - HB 1410 - Milestone - House of Origin Policy Committee Public Hearing - v1
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Revised
WA Legislature - 2025-26 - HB 1066 - Milestone - House of Origin Policy Committee Executive Session - v2
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Agenda - v1 [ Info ]
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Agenda - v2 [ Info ]
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Video - TVW [ Info ]
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WA Legislature - 2025-26 - HB 1066 - WSLCB Data Dashboard
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