The Week Ahead
(August 1, 2022)

Social Equity Applicant Rules

WSLCB staff planned to propose revised rules for a social equity retail program the same week Seattle City Council members planned to introduce legislation to address worker and social equity.

Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.

Monday August 1st

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

Tuesday August 2nd

WSLCB - Board Caucus

On Tuesday at 10am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.

City of Seattle - City Council - Council Meeting

On Tuesday at 2pm PT, the weekly Seattle City Council Meeting was scheduled to recur.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • On July 20th, Seattle City Council Finance and Housing Committee members heard about a trio of ordinances being drafted by the Seattle Mayor’s office as “first steps” towards changing ownership and worker equity in the city’s cannabis sector. Members expected to look at draft legislation before it appeared on the council introduction and referral calendar during the “first week of August.”
    • At publication time, the introduction and referral calendar for the council meeting was not published.

Wednesday August 3rd

WSLCB - Board Meeting

On Wednesday at 10am PT, the bi-weekly WSLCB Board Meeting was scheduled to recur.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • Board members were scheduled to approve the filing of a CR-102 containing revised proposed rules for the Social Equity rulemaking project.
  • While agency staff and board members often expressed reluctance to challenge formidable relevant precedent around use of race-based scoring criteria, going so far as to invite an outside expert to publicly speak with the board on the subject, the actual changes to the proposed rules focused elsewhere. Attachment H of the 60 page memorandum provided a chart describing changes made in relation to the initial CR-102.
    • The disproportionately impacted area (DIA) residency requirement was extended from 6 months to "five years between 1980 and 2010" which would more closely track WA SECTF recommendations.
    • A new definition was added for "social equity title certificate holder" and language was added "that an application to reinstate the license of a social equity title certificate holder will not be considered to be a new application; the social equity title certificate holder may submit an application for a social equity license and an application to reinstate their existing license through the social equity program." The new privilege of potential license mobility anywhere within the county would be extended to social equity title certificate holders.
    • A new requirement was added for documentation to verify social equity applicant (SEA) eligibility.
    • There were several other changes to the scoring rubric.
    • The prohibition on transferring social equity licenses for 5 years to anyone but another qualifying SEA was extended to also prohibit license assumptions, the de facto procedure for selling cannabis businesses in Washington state without appearing to directly sell the limited license.

Thursday August 4th

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

Friday August 5th

WA Pharmacy Commission Legislative Committee - Public Meeting

On Friday at 12pm PT, the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission Legislative Committee (WA Pharmacy Commission Legislative Committee) was scheduled to convene their monthly public meeting.