A WSLCB gubernatorial appointment confirmation was advanced Monday and senators were prepared to advance legislation granting collective bargaining rights to plant-touching workers ahead of the next cutoff.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Tuesday April 8th, the 86th day of the 2025 regular session.
My top 3 takeaways:
- On Monday, the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) calendared legislation regarding the confirmation of the gubernatorial appointment of the newest Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Member.
- Members had an opportunity to vote on two packages of bills, gubernatorial appointment confirmations and regular legislation selected by committee leadership, in addition to being granted one member pull.
- SGA 9203, the confirmation of the appointment of WSLCB Board Member Pete Holmes, was calendared for subsequent floor action.
- SGA 9188, the confirmation of the appointment of WSLCB Board Chair Jim Vollendroff, was conspicuously not calendared at the same time.
- At publication time, two cannabis-related bills remained available for calendaring at a subsequent WA Senate RULE meeting:
- There were no introductions of cannabis-related legislation on Monday, and none staged for Tuesday.
- The draft introduction reports in the House and the Senate for Tuesday April 8th did not appear to include any cannabis-related legislation.
- On Tuesday, the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee (WA Senate WM) was scheduled to consider advancing the cannabis “agricultural worker” unionization bill just ahead of the final committee cutoff.
- 1:30pm: WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Executive Session
- HB 1141 - Cannabis Production Unions
- Majority Caucus Chair Lillian Ortiz-Self introduced legislation in the House to establish collective bargaining rights for cannabis “agricultural workers.”
- See the bill text, bill report, and fiscal note for more details.
- During the hearing on Saturday April 5th, proponents acknowledged the bill was one of their highest priorities. Opponents questioned the balance of legislation strongly desired by labor interests and democratic leadership which further antagonized the agricultural industry against cannabis. A representative from the Cannabis Alliance signed in “Other” pointed out the difficulty of protecting cannabis “agricultural workers” in law whilst retaining the explicit statutory exclusion of cannabis work from the rights and benefits accorded other agricultural commodities.
- In 2014, legislators passed SB 6505, “Delaying the use of existing tax preferences by the marijuana industry to ensure a regulated and safe transition to the controlled and legal marijuana market in Washington” which established that “The terms ‘agriculture,’ [‘agricultural product,’] ‘farming,’ ‘horticulture,’ ‘horticultural,’ and ‘horticultural product’ may not be construed to include or relate to cannabis, useable cannabis, or cannabis-infused products…”
- At publication time, no amendments on the legislation had been published.
- Majority Caucus Chair Lillian Ortiz-Self introduced legislation in the House to establish collective bargaining rights for cannabis “agricultural workers.”
- HB 1141 - Cannabis Production Unions
- Executive Session
- COB: WA Legislature - Opposite House Fiscal Committee Cutoff
- To continue being advanced, legislation assigned to fiscal committees must be heard, have an executive session scheduled, then be potentially amended, debated, recommended, and reported before the cutoff.
- There are exceptions. Legislation can be designated “necessary to implement budgets” (NTIB) by chamber leaders to exempt it from the regular rules of order, loosely interpreted to mean a bill was projected to have a measurable fiscal impact.
- At publication time, only one cannabis-related bill remained at risk:
- HB 1141 - Cannabis Production Unions
- After Tuesday, legislators would take up legislation for consideration during floor sessions before the Opposite House Cutoff at 5pm PT on Wednesday April 16th.
- However, the end of the regular session in 2025 may be exception-filled. At publication time, new revenue generating bills continued to be introduced and may be granted unusual committee latitude in the interest of addressing highly variable budget deficit projections.
- Alternatively, one or more special sessions would appear increasingly likely.
- To continue being advanced, legislation assigned to fiscal committees must be heard, have an executive session scheduled, then be potentially amended, debated, recommended, and reported before the cutoff.
- 1:30pm: WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]