WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting
(February 18, 2023)

Saturday February 18, 2023 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Observed
Washington State Senate Logo

The Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee (WA Senate WM) considers the operating and capital budget bills and related legislation, including the authorization of state debt.  The committee also deals with tax policy and other fiscal issues such as pension policy and compensation in addition to bills with operating budget fiscal impacts.

Public Hearing

  • SB 5367 - "Concerning the regulation of products containing THC." (added February 14th)

Observations

Within its fiscal committee, testimony on a cannabinoid regulation bill championed by WSLCB was divided, there were THC threshold concerns, but also claims the bill helped cannabis tax revenue.

Here are some observations from the Saturday February 18th Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee (WA Senate WM) Committee Meeting.

My top 4 takeaways:

  • Staff took committee members through the impacts and costs related to Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) request legislation, SB 5367, “Concerning the regulation of products containing THC.”
    • The bill was heard, and amended by the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) on January 30th and February 13th, respectively. WA Senate LC Counsel Matt Shepard-Koningsor briefed from the bill analysis, where the statutory changes relayed the measure (audio - 2m, video):
      • Differentiates between certain hemp and cannabis products intended to be consumed or absorbed inside the body based on tetrahydrocannabinol [THC] concentration.
      • Creates a new definition of "hemp consumable" in the hemp statutes, "tetrahydrocannabinol" or "THC" in the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (UCSA), and amends the definitions of "cannabis," "cannabis products," "isomer," and "THC concentration" in the UCSA.
      • Modifies the permitted activities of licensed cannabis producers and processors regarding the enhancement of cannabidiol (CBD) concentration in certain cannabis products.
      • Requires certain cannabis products to include a label indicating the amount of any synthetically-derived CBD in the product, and products containing hemp consumables to conform to applicable federal and state labeling laws and be labeled to disclose that hemp consumables are included.
      • Prohibits any person from manufacturing, selling, or distributing cannabis products without a valid state-issued license.
    • WA Senate WM Outlook Coordinator Corban Nemeth spoke to the revised fiscal note, which indicated “general fund state costs of $391,000 in the 23-25 biennium and $524,000 over the four-year outlook period…for the state patrol to develop new testing standards, and the ongoing workload associated with testing in the Crime Lab Division.” WSLCB costs would come from the dedicated cannabis account, he added, amount to “$440,000 in the 2325 biennium and $758,000 over the four-year outlook period…for one and a half FTEs [full time employee]  for educational efforts related to the new standards in the bill, and workload associated with projected additional complaint investigations” (audio - 1m, video).
  • The bill sponsor and five public commenters encouraged passage to take action on unregulated hemp consumable items sold in stores and online in the state.
  • Three people objected to the limits, definitions, and potential negative impacts the bill might have on businesses and hemp consumers.
  • Two cannabis industry representatives explained their critiques of the bill allowing people to buy “six to seven packages…to get up to the maximum serving amount” of THC and that “we're going to continue to advocate that it be lowered to zero.”
    • Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) Deputy Director Brooke Davies stated they backed the spirit of the legislation but conveyed her group’s stance of ‘other’ as a matter of concern over where THC could be sold. She remarked that the THC limit in the proposed amendment was “headed in the right direction," but WACA members only wanted THC available in cannabis products. Davies argued the “largest consistent decreases in sales for a period of several months” was “partly due to the prevalence of unregulated hemp-derived THC products available outside of the regulated market where they're not subject to the 37% excise tax” (audio - 2m, video).
    • Adán Espino, Craft Cannabis Coalition (CCC) Executive Director, was against the bill and offered similar concerns that allowing any THC content outside the adult-only system left room for people to overconsume. “I think really our issue at this point is that delta-9 THC…is the main regulated substance in the regulated market” and the compound should be prohibited outside of that (audio - 1m, video).

Engagement Options

In-Person

Cherberg Building, 15th Avenue Southwest, Olympia, WA, USA

Hearing Room 4

Information Set