As the Opposite House Cutoff approached, the WSLCB board planned to discuss reviving advisory councils and WSDA contractors would ask for input on reviving the hemp sector.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday April 14th
WA House - Session
On Monday at 9am PT, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) was scheduled to convene.
WA Senate - Session
On Monday at 10am PT, the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) was scheduled to convene.
Tuesday April 15th
WA House - Session
On Tuesday at 9am PT, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) was scheduled to convene.
WA Senate - Session
On Tuesday at 9:30am PT, the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) was scheduled to convene.
WSLCB - Board Caucus
On Tuesday at 10am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
- According to the agenda, members allocated 35m for an “LCB Advisory Councils Discussion” on Tuesday.
- The WSLCB Cannabis Advisory Council (WSLCB CAC) was formed in March 2017 to engage with cannabis stakeholders in a public setting to discuss the agency’s cannabis policies and issues of concern. Chaired by Board Member Ollie Garrett, WSLCB CAC membership was primarily composed of representatives from licensee trade groups, but at times included members representing tribal, Black, consumer, and medical patient perspectives.
- WSLCB leaders also convened an Alcohol Advisory Council (WSLCB AAC).
- For a time, the agency convened a Tribal Advisory Council (WSLCB TAC) but abandoned that more public path after an event in April 2019 by creating a Tribal and Government Liaison role at the agency.
- During the caucus on March 11th, board members contemplated significant reductions in both the number and variety of agency events open to the public including board meetings, caucuses, and executive management team meetings. Chair Jim Vollendroff, promoted to that role in December, couched the changes in terms of increased “board efficiencies” and as a cost-cutting effort amidst an economic downturn exacerbating State budget uncertainty.
- Facing blowback on the planned extent of changes, on March 18th Vollendroff signaled some intent to reconsider the move (audio - 2m, video - TVW) and on March 20th staff broadcast a message intended “to clarify that these changes are still under discussion.”
- During the caucus on March 25th, board members reviewed and revised their plans towards a less radical attenuation of their requirements to interface with the public. As part of that discussion, resuscitating and re-envisioning the advisory councils was presented as a way to provide a different structure for gathering public input.
- Under the executive sponsorship of Board Member Ollie Garrett, the WSLCB CAC became a redundant means of reiterating agency rulemaking activity and an awkward annual inquiry into pre-session legislative strategies of highly competitive trade industry associations. Participation had waned by April 2021 when incoming Chair David Postman was welcomed by members whose comments varied from friendly to confrontational. At publication time, the group had not subsequently been convened.
- In addition to groups focused on cannabis and alcohol, Vollendroff indicated his interest in organizing a Public Health and Prevention Advisory Council.
- Somewhat uniquely among public organizations in states which regulate controlled substances, the WSLCB employed a fulltime Public Health Education Liaison role to interface with other public agencies and stakeholder communities, communicating agency intent and representing outside interests within the agency.
- Chair Jane Rushford sponsored the creation of private Prevention Roundtable events hosted by the Liaison to provide an opportunity for invited stakeholders to interface directly with the Chair and agency leaders. Those events, rarely mentioned publicly, had been hosted quarterly since that time and expanded in scope to include public health representatives during Vollendroff’s tenure.
- Should a Public Health and Prevention Advisory Council be formed, the charter of the new group would seem to duplicate the intent and purpose of the Public Health and Prevention Round Tables. At publication time, it was unclear if both events would be continued in the spirit of “board efficiencies.”
- The WSLCB Cannabis Advisory Council (WSLCB CAC) was formed in March 2017 to engage with cannabis stakeholders in a public setting to discuss the agency’s cannabis policies and issues of concern. Chaired by Board Member Ollie Garrett, WSLCB CAC membership was primarily composed of representatives from licensee trade groups, but at times included members representing tribal, Black, consumer, and medical patient perspectives.
WSU CCPRO - Cannabis Research Seminar
On Tuesday at 4pm PT, the Washington State University Center for Cannabis Policy, Research, and Outreach (WSU CCPRO) planned to host a Cannabis Research Seminar.
- [ Event Details ]
- “Non-Terpenoid Volatiles of Cannabis sativa”
- Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Institute of Biological Chemistry (WSU CAHNRS IBC) Graduate Research Assistant Austin Alt
Wednesday April 16th
WA House - Session
On Wednesday at 9am PT, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) was scheduled to convene.
WA Senate - Session
On Wednesday at 9:30am PT, the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) was scheduled to convene.
WSDA - Focus Group - Hemp
On Wednesday at 10am PT, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) planned to host a focus group on the hemp sector.
- [ Event Details ]
- According to the event announcement, “Greene Economics will be conducting focus groups on barriers facing the hemp industry, and hemp farmers. There will be an emphasis on people interested in using hemp for building materials or sustainable construction materials, but all licensees, advocates, and interested parties in the hemp space are invited.”
- The events were undertaken in response to a 2024 budget proviso which dedicated $220,000 for FY 2025 “solely for the agency to partner with the department of commerce to conduct a study to better understand the opportunities and challenges, as well as identify solutions to existing barriers, to create a healthy marketplace for hemp.”
- Four events were planned:
- Wednesday April 16th @ 10am
- Thursday April 17th @ 4pm
- Wednesday April 23rd @ 10am
- Thursday April 24th @ 4pm
- In addition, staff planned to host more informal “office hours”:
- Tuesday April 22nd @ 10am
- Tuesday April 29th @ 4pm
WA Legislature - Opposite House Cutoff
On Wednesday at 5pm PT, the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) would achieve the final cutoff milestone of the 2025 regular session.
- To continue being advanced, legislation assigned to the opposite chamber must be calendared, added to an order of consideration, potentially amended, debated, and passed 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, two cannabis-related bills had been calendared but remained at risk:
- At publication time, three cannabis-related bills awaited calendaring in rules committees:
- At publication time, one cannabis-related bill had been passed by the opposite chamber and awaited a concurrence/dispute vote in the house of origin.
- SB 5403 - Cannabis Retail Financial Interest
- At publication time, one gubernatorial appointment confirmation had been calendared and could be considered any time before the end of the session:
- SGA 9203 - Confirmation - Pete Holmes
- At publication time, one cannabis-related bill had been passed by the Legislature and had been delivered to the Governor for consideration.
- HB 1341 - DOH Patient Data Sharing
- After Wednesday, legislators would take up legislation during floor sessions before adjournment sine die on Sunday April 27th.
Thursday April 17th
WTSC - Commission Meeting
On Thursday at 10am PT, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) was scheduled to convene its quarterly meeting.
- [ Event Details ]
- In addition to a legislative update, the agenda included a 30m presentation on the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), a standard vehicle technology under development which would be designed to passively detect driver alcohol intoxication through multiple in-cabin sensors and prevent vehicles from moving.
WA Senate - Session
On Thursday at 10am PT, the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) was scheduled to convene.
WA House - Session
On Thursday at 10:30am PT, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) was scheduled to convene.
WSDA - Focus Group - Hemp
On Thursday at 4pm PT, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) planned to host a focus group on the hemp sector.
- [ Event Details ]
Friday April 18th
WA Senate - Session
On Friday at 9:30am PT, the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) was scheduled to convene.
WA House - Session
On Friday at 10:30am PT, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) was scheduled to convene.
WA Pharmacy Commission - Legislative Review
On Friday at 12pm PT, the weekly Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (WA Pharmacy Commission) Legislative Review was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
- At publication time, commissioners had cancelled their last six legislative reviews.
Saturday April 19th
WA House - Session
On Saturday at 9am PT, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) was scheduled to potentially convene.