WA Legislature - Update
(January 26, 2023)

Interstate commerce was moved to the Senate floor, the policy committee in the senate planned to take action, two bills were set for introduction, and next week’s schedule was announced.

Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Thursday January 26th, the 18th day of the 2023 Regular Session.

My top 4 takeaways:

• SB 5069, “Allowing interstate cannabis agreements,” was placed on the Senate floor calendar during the Wednesday January 25th meeting of the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE).
  • SB 5069 was heard in the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) on January 10th and recommended without modification on January 17th. During the executive session, Democratic Senator Rebecca Saldaña voted without recommendation to signal her interest in moving social equity legislation forward first, which Chair Karen Keiser acknowledged. Keiser, the Vice Chair of WA Senate RULE, indicated the bill would stay there “until we have further action on cannabis issues.”
  • During the WA Senate RULE meeting, Senator Curtis King utilized his single allotted pull to move the interstate bill from the Senate Rules White Sheet to the Senate Floor Calendar.
    • King, the ranking Republican on WA Senate LC, was also an appointee to the Washington State Legislative Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis (WA SECTF) which Saldaña co-chaired. He largely opposed their policy advice.
  • At publication time, the next Senate floor session was scheduled for Wednesday February 1st - the earliest SB 5069 could be granted second and third readings.

• On Thursday morning, members of the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee were scheduled to hear a bill addressing retail theft and host executive sessions on social equity and pre-employment screening legislation.
  • Public Hearing
    • SB 5259 - “Ensuring commerce and workplaces are safe from product theft.”
  • Executive Session
    • SB 5080 - “Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program.”
    • SB 5123 - “Concerning the employment of individuals who lawfully consume cannabis.” 

• Two new bills were scheduled for introduction on Thursday, a companion to the WSLCB cannabinoid regulation bill and legislation to enable adults to grow cannabis at home.
  • HB 1612, “Concerning the regulation of products containing THC,” would be introduced by Representative Shelley Kloba, a current co-chair of the Washington State Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee (WA House RSG) where the bill was set to be referred.
    • The senate legislation, SB 5367, was scheduled for its initial public hearing on Monday January 30th.
  • HB 1614, “Concerning the home cultivation of cannabis,” would be introduced by Representatives Kloba, Timm Ormsby, Beth Doglio, and Roger Goodman before being referred to WA House RSG.
    • During the 2021 regular session, HB 1019 was recommended by the Washington State House Commerce and Gaming Committee (WA House COG) and heard in the Washington State House Appropriations Committee (WA House APP) but not subsequently brought up for an executive session in that committee. The bill was not moved at all during the 2022 session.
    • The early co-sponsorship of Ormsby, the House fiscal committee chair, would undoubtedly be helpful. However, Ormsby was also a co-sponsor of HB 1019 and it’s Cannabis Observer’s understanding that that bill was challenged to generate sufficient support to be brought forward for a vote.

• In the late afternoon on Wednesday, legislative staff announced the initial committee schedules for the following week which signaled substantial activity on cannabis bills in the Senate and movement on medical cannabis legislation in the House.
  • WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting (January 30th)
    • Public Hearing
      • SB 5367 - “Concerning the regulation of products containing THC.”
      • SB 5405 - “Modifying the liquor and cannabis board's subpoena authority.”
      • SB 5376 - “Allowing the sale of cannabis waste.”
      • SB 5363 - “Concerning cannabis retailer advertising.”
      • SB 5340 - “Regarding limits on the sale and possession of retail cannabis products.”
  • WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting (January 31st)
    • Public Hearing
      • SB 5546 - “Establishing a Washington state cannabis commission.”
  • WA House RSG - Committee Meeting (January 31st)
    • Public Hearing
      • HB 1563 - “Concerning arrest protections for the medical use of cannabis.”
  • WA House ENVI - Committee Meeting (January 31st)
    • Executive Session
      • HB 1131 - “Improving Washington's solid waste management outcomes.”
  • WA House RSG - Committee Meeting (February 2nd)
    • Executive Session
      • HB 1453 - “Providing a tax exemption for medical cannabis patients.”
  • WA Senate ENET - Committee Meeting (February 3rd)
    • Executive Session
      • SB 5154 - “Improving Washington's solid waste management outcomes.”