USA - Washington

Senators heard an hour of largely supportive testimony on producer direct sales on Monday and representatives planned to host public hearings on three cannabis-related bills on Tuesday.

A supermajority of the 23 people who testified supported legislation to allow direct sale of cannabis flower by producers, although questions were raised about market impacts.

Six bills were scheduled for public hearings and three for executive sessions while regulators planned to take a second pass at product samples rules.

Among 15 cannabis-related bills introduced, limited direct sales legislation was up for an initial public hearing in the Senate on Monday, the first cannabis bill to be considered in that chamber in 2025.

Bills introduced Thursday accrued co-sponsors, a scheduling shakeup was observed, and Friday offered an opportunity to learn how the Consumer Protection Act may be applicable in the cannabis sector.

Legislators advanced production unions in the House but deferred a production authority transfer before the schedule for the following week and details on four new cannabis-related bills were published.

Action on the data dashboard bill was deferred, cannabis came up in the impaired driving hearing, the production union bill may be amended, and a transfer of producer authority to WSDA seemed costly.

Home grow and direct sales bills were set for introduction, data dashboard legislation may be advanced, and officials would lead a work session on impaired driving before a public hearing in the House.

Three of eight cannabis-related bills were scheduled for activity in the second week of session, while WSLCB considered liberalizing acceptable forms of identification for the alcohol sector.

After having heard the production authority transfer bill on Friday, legislators planned to work over the holiday on Monday but were not scheduled to consider any cannabis-related legislation.