WA Legislature - Update
(April 10, 2025)

WA Legislature - Update (April 10, 2025) - Takeaways

The cannabis “agricultural worker” bill was quickly advanced to the Senate floor calendar by democratic leaders and the newly introduced THC excise tax bill gained a co-sponsor.

Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Thursday April 10th, the 88th day of the 2025 regular session.

My top 3 takeaways:

  • On Wednesday, the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) calendared legislation to authorize unionization of plant-touching cannabis workers in what would likely be their last formal meeting of the regular 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.”
      • During the final public hearing in the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee (WA Senate WM) 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 contradiction inherent in protecting cannabis “agricultural workers” in law whilst retaining the explicit statutory exclusion of cannabis from definitions of “agriculture” and “agricultural commodity” which prohibited producers from accessing the rights and benefits accorded other farmers.
      • During the WA Senate WM executive session on Tuesday April 8th, members made quick work of the legislation without amendment nor discussion, the majority advancing the bill in a strictly partisan voice vote.
      • HB 1141 was then reported during the pro forma floor session at the close of business on Tuesday April 8th and referred to the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE).
      • On Wednesday—the very next day—HB 1141 was somewhat unusually included in the regular package of legislation selected by chamber leadership.  In his remarks introducing the package, Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen somewhat joked that the roster included “some bipartisan inclusion but we wanted to leave enough bills for our friends to pull in sit down Rules.”
        • Senator Curtis King spoke up to express his consternation “that there’s at least one bill on here that I think, it’s in our continual “let’s go after business thing”...that I take objection to because it’s an industry that’s struggling right now and this would just add to that struggle.”  Prompted by Senate President Denny Heck as to “what bill?” King said HB 1141.
        • Republican Leader John Braun followed up to emphasize the minority party’s discontent with the inclusion of particularly partisan legislation in the regular package while acknowledging few bills of interest to Republicans had been advanced far enough for consideration.
        • The package was advanced in a partisan voice vote.
      • At publication time, the legislation could be included in an order of consideration, brought up for a second reading, potentially amended, debated, and voted on at a subsequent chamber floor session.  The bill text had not been modified by either senate committee, so if it were not amended further, the Senate would vote on final passage of the legislation.
        • However, King indicated Republican interest in “work[ing] it out on the floor.”
        • At publication time, no amendments on the legislation had been published.
    • Wednesday was the last planned in-person meeting of the WA Senate RULE.  For the remainder of the regular session, packages of legislation selected by chamber leadership would be presented for votes by members at the rostrum.
  • The THC tax bill was introduced as planned on Wednesday, and no legislation was staged for Thursday.
    • HB 2075 - THC Excise Tax
      • On Wednesday April 9th, Representative Lauren Davis introduced legislation which would impose a 50% excise tax on cannabis concentrates and usable cannabis labeled as containing more than 35% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
      • As planned, the legislation was referred to the Washington State House Finance Committee (WA House FIN) for consideration.
        • On Wednesday, the preliminary schedules for the following week in the House and the Senate were published.  WA House FIN planned to meet on Friday April 18th—the only standing committee to do so—to host executive sessions on two bills, both of which had been heard previously.
        • The 2025 regular session would be adjourned sine die on Sunday April 27th.
      • On Wednesday, Representative Cindy Ryu joined Davis as a co-sponsor of the bill.
    • There were no introductions staged in the House nor the Senate for Thursday April 10th.
  • On Thursday, legislators would focus on floor activity and periodically replenish second reading calendars with bills pulled from chamber rules committees.