Legislators heard supportive testimony to revise buffer zones while committee schedules for the following week showed nearly all cannabis-related legislation and the operating budget would be considered.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Thursday March 20th, the 67th day of the 2025 regular session.
My top 4 takeaways:
- On Wednesday, the Washington State House Consumer Protection and Business Committee (WA House CPB) heard only positive public testimony about senate legislation to revise buffer zones for social equity businesses.
- SB 5758 - Social Equity Buffer Zones
- Introduced on Monday February 17th by Senator Rebecca Saldaña, the legislation aimed to create less restrictive buffer zones for licenses issued under the cannabis social equity program in RCW 69.50.335(1).
- See the bill text, bill analysis, and fiscal note for more details.
- During the initial public hearing in the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) on Tuesday February 18th, proponents backed the move to help facilitate social equity retail ownership in contested and prohibitively zoned jurisdictions. The measure was opposed by some established cannabis sector interests and at least one licensed equity business.
- During the executive session on Friday February 21st, members adopted a proposed substitute by Ranking Member Curtis King which retained the language preventing local governments from creating ordinances requiring social equity businesses to locate more than 250’ from other retailers, but struck the provision halving the distance requirement from protected zones. Saldaña supported the proposed substitute as “a step forward” while pointing to local bans and moratoria as a larger concern worthy of attention.
- The committee report was read during the pro forma floor session on Friday afternoon and the legislation was referred to the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) for calendaring. On Monday March 10th, the bill was calendared as part of a regular package pull.
- On Wednesday March 12th, senators passed the legislation unchanged along largely partisan lines and the bill was introduced in the House on Friday March 14th.
- On Wednesday, WA House CPB members heard from supporters of the legislative concept whereas opponents remained obscured.
- Positions: testifying + not testifying = total (duplicates)
- Pro: 3 + 4 = 7 (0)
- Con: 3 + 653 = 656 (30)
- Other: 0 + 0 = 0 (0)
- Saldaña introduced her bill as a modest step forward, clarifying that it was not opposed by cities or counties during informal discussions (audio - 3m, video - TVW). Acting Vice Chair Kristine Reeves still asked Saldaña to explain her position on preemption of local authority ordinances, which Saldaña reiterated had been taken with care and consultation (audio - 2m, video - TVW). Representative Melanie Morgan followed up to confirm cities and counties hadn't formally registered opposition to the bill (audio < 1m, video - TVW).
- Cannabis Observer confirmed that neither the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) nor the Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) registered a formal position on the bill.
- The Cannabis Alliance Executive Director Caitlein Ryan opened public testimony in support of the legislation, citing staff comments during the Washington State Liquor Cannabis Board (WSLCB) social equity program update from the Board Caucus on Tuesday March 18th in support of the push, and acknowledging more could be done on the subject (audio - 2m, video - TVW). Peter Manning (audio - 2m, video - TVW) and Mike Asai (audio - 2m, video - TVW) from BEC advocated in support of the change as well as broader reevaluation of buffer zones.
- None of those signed in opposed to the legislation showed up.
- In wrapping up the hearing, Reeves recited—for the record—the total number of those signed in opposed inclusive of the 30 duplicate entries identified by Cannabis Observer (audio < 1m, video - TVW). We find it troubling that legislative staff or legislators themselves would almost certainly unintentionally endorse misrepresentation of true opposition or support for any legislation.
- Positions: testifying + not testifying = total (duplicates)
- Later that day, it was announced that an executive session on the legislation had been scheduled for the WA House CPB meeting on Wednesday March 26th.
- Introduced on Monday February 17th by Senator Rebecca Saldaña, the legislation aimed to create less restrictive buffer zones for licenses issued under the cannabis social equity program in RCW 69.50.335(1).
- SB 5758 - Social Equity Buffer Zones
- On Wednesday afternoon, the preliminary schedules for the following week in the House and the Senate were published showing legislative attention shifting to include operating budgets and cannabis-related legislation - with the exception of one bill still without a scheduled hearing.
- Tuesday March 25th
- 8am: WA House FIN - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- HB 2037 - Out of State Ownership + Social Equity Tax Preference + Cooperatives + Financial Interest
- Introduced by Representative Melanie Morgan on March 13th—the day after House of Origin Cutoff—it would appear the legislation had been granted “necessary to implement budgets” (NTIB) status or Washington State House Finance Committee (WA House FIN) Chair April Berg decided to have her committee members hear the legislation without committing to advance the bill before the 2026 regular session.
- HB 2037 - Out of State Ownership + Social Equity Tax Preference + Cooperatives + Financial Interest
- Public Hearing
- 10:30am: WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- 4pm: WA House APP - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- HB 1198 - Operating Budget
- Public Hearing
- 4pm: WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- SB 5167 - Operating Budget
- Public Hearing
- 8am: WA House FIN - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Wednesday March 26th
- 1:30pm: WA House CPB - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Thursday March 27th
- 4pm: WA House APP - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Executive Session
- HB 1198 - Operating Budget
- Executive Session
- 4pm: WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Executive Session
- SB 5167 - Operating Budget
- Executive Session
- 4pm: WA House APP - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Friday March 28th
- 8am: WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- HB 1551 - Social Equity Program Evaluation
- Public Hearing
- 8am: WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- At publication time, one cannabis-related bill did not have a hearing scheduled:
- HB 1347 - WSLCB Lab Certification Authority
- Tuesday March 25th
- There were no introductions of cannabis-related legislation on Wednesday, and none planned on Thursday.
- There were no introductions planned in the Senate for Thursday March 20th.
- The draft introduction report in the House for Thursday March 20th did not appear to include any cannabis-related legislation.
- On Thursday, there were no cannabis-related policymaking events planned at the Washington State Legislature.