The Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) convenes sessions to read, debate, amend, and vote on legislation.
Concurrence and Final Passage
- HB 2870 - “Allowing additional marijuana retail licenses for social equity purposes.”
WA House - Session - Afternoon
(March 10, 2020)
Tuesday March 10, 2020 1:30 PM - 2:41 PM
Observed
Observations
In the early afternoon on Tuesday March 10th, the House voted to accept the Senate’s changes to HB 2870 while honoring the bill’s primary sponsor, Majority Caucus Chair Eric Pettigrew, one of the House’s few African American members who planned to retire from the Legislature at the end of the 2020 session. Deputy Speaker Pro … Continued
- [ Event Details ]
- “I’m actually very honored that you’re presiding at the time that I’m introducing my last bill in my 18 years here in the legislature,” Pettigrew told Lovick, adding he was “even more proud that it is a bill that reflects social equity” an issue that had been his “mantra for my entire career.” He believed the legislation represented “a fitting end as far as my last piece of legislation.” He reviewed the Senate’s changes for colleagues saying they “improved the bill” and urged their support (audio - 1m, video).
- Assistant Minority Floor Leader Drew MacEwen reported that “a number of people, however, on this side still have a lot of issues with some of the underlying items in the bill.” He called it “painful” to speak against the bill given the work of Pettigrew and others since “I understand where he’s coming from.” But the minority caucus believed there were “things in here that we think could have still been done a little bit better” and would oppose the bill. “But I just want to congratulate the gentleman on all the good work that he’s done here through these years here and it’s been an honor to work with him on these issues,” MacEwen said (audio - 1m, video).
- The House voted to concur with the Senate changes by a vote of 57 yeas, 40 nays, and one excused. Once signed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate it will be delivered to Governor Jay Inslee for his signature or veto (audio - 1m, video).