The agencies on the Cannabis Science Task Force were scheduled to describe their potential request legislation packages intended to create a new body for oversight of testing labs.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday August 2nd
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Tuesday August 3rd
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 ]
WA Commission for Measurement of Tax Preferences - Public Meeting
On Tuesday at 10am PT, the Washington State Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences (WA Commission for Measurement of Tax Preferences) was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- The seven-member Commission is made up of five appointees: two appointed by the House, two appointed by the Senate, and one appointed by the Governor; and two non-voting members: the State Auditor and the Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC). Members serve four-year terms and may be reappointed to serve more than one term.
- JLARC convened on July 21st and elected new members to executive roles on the committee. Senator Mark Mullet was replaced as chair by Representative Gerry Pollet. Formerly an environmental activist, Pollet championed bills seeking to more strictly regulate vapor products and was a vocal supporter of the ban on flavored vapor products during the vapor associated lung injuries (VALI) health scare.
- The Legislature has defined a “tax preference” as an exemption, exclusion, or deduction from the base of a state tax; a credit against a state tax; a deferral of a state tax; or a preferential state tax rate. The Washington State Department of Revenue (WA DOR) has on record about 600 such tax preferences. The Commission develops a schedule to review tax preferences based on a ten year review cycle. The Commission also comments on the reviews which are conducted independently by JLARC staff.
- On Tuesday, commission members will review a preliminary report on "Medical Cannabis Tax Preferences" (e.g., sales tax exemptions) which JLARC members reviewed on July 21st. In addition to a one-pager, staff put together a video summarizing the review. The auditors recommended continuation of the seven tax preferences for medical cannabis, but found that the sales tax benefit on Washington State Department of Health (DOH) compliant products was applied to regular cannabis products 99% of the time. They recommended the WA DOR and DOH “update guidance to reflect 2019 statutory changes.”
- JLARC Chair Pollet asked if DOH staff had provided an estimated date for updates and was told they were reviewing the statute to see if changes were necessary. The agency would be granted an opportunity to respond to the report.
- As part of its review process, the commission invites public comment on the tax preference reviews. That opportunity will occur at a subsequent commission meeting on September 9th.
Wednesday August 4th
WSLCB - Board Meeting
On Wednesday at 10am PT, the bi-weekly WSLCB Board Meeting was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
- At publication time, Cannabis Observer was not aware of any cannabis-related policymaking scheduled for this board meeting.
Thursday August 5th
DOE - Cannabis Science Task Force Steering Committee
On Thursday at 9am PT, the Washington State Department of Ecology Cannabis Science Task Force Steering Committee (DOE - Cannabis Science Task Force Steering Committee) was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- One hour is reserved on the agenda to discuss “Proposed Legislation” by the member agencies. The Cannabis Science Task Force (CSTF), which last met on June 11th, reached consensus on the need for a cannabis science interagency coordination team (ICT) to handle lab accreditation and testing standards. The new entity would include representatives from WSLCB, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), and potentially dedicated staff to serve as the “client” of the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) in order to leverage their lab accreditation functions. At publication time, all ICT agencies were planning to independently submit request legislation and the subject matter to be undertaken by each was unclear. The ICT, which had been envisioned as a permanent entity and beneficiary of standing appropriations from the legislature, would accept the recommendations of the CSTF, adapt as necessary, and instruct the DOE on how to proceed. All of the recommendations of the CSTF presume an entity like the ICT is necessary, and---if the WA Legislature concurs---it would become the first permanent authority dedicated to cannabis in Washington state.
- At the June 23rd Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) spring meeting, agency staff provided WSLCB Director Rick Garza with talking points on potential agency request legislation, the first of which concerned “Testing Labs.” Describing the context, the talking points state, “Among the changes under discussion are both further legislative changes and significant new funding for the agencies involved in this work. ...The group has also identified specialized staffing needs to implement the program along the lines the Task Force has described. Health, Agriculture and LCB all need additional funding and staff to realize the goals of the program – accurate and reliable testing, transparency and accountability of the system, scientifically based standards for both lab procedures and product requirements, and consumer safety and quality assurance.”
Friday August 6th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.