Representatives moved the WSLCB THC bill on Monday and would consider the social equity bill on Tuesday just ahead of the opposite house fiscal committee cutoff occurring that day.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Tuesday April 4th, the 86th day of the 2023 Regular Session.
My top 4 takeaways:
- On Monday April 3rd, the Washington State House Appropriations Committee (WA House APP) hosted an executive session on SB 5367, the WSLCB THC bill, recommending the legislation as amended by the Washington State House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee (WA House RSG).
- Before its hearing in WA House APP on Friday March 31st, the legislation was scheduled for its executive session on Monday. Hemp industry members opposed the bill on THC regulation, but an agency representative as well as several cannabis industry, public health, and substance prevention groups backed the move.
- Representative Lauren Davis offered commentary on behalf of the majority democratic caucus (audio - 1m, video).
- Representative Kelly Chambers concurred on behalf of the minority republican caucus (audio - 1m, video).
- Members unanimously recommended passage of the legislation as written, 29-0-2, with Representatives Chandler and Couture excused.
- On Monday afternoon into the night, representatives debated the House versions of the transportation and operating budgets - but no cannabis-specific changes were incorporated into the latter.
- After senators passed SB 5187, the Senate version of the operating budget for fiscal years 2023-25, the bill was read for the first time in the House and immediately added to the second reading calendar.
- Representatives had simultaneously been moving HB 1140, their version of the operating budget, which was positioned in the Washington State House Rules Committee (WA House RUL).
- WA House APP Chair Timm Ormsby then proposed a substitute to SB 5187 consisting of a verbatim copy of HB 1140 as passed by his committee. 29 floor amendments were proposed on that striking legislation.
- On Monday, Representatives debated, amended, and passed the legislation 57-40-1 in what appeared to be a straight party line vote.
- From here, the legislation would be returned to the Senate and a conference committee would be established to seek concurrence between the chambers if not the parties.
- The WA Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) announced plans to convene Tuesday morning after their pro forma floor session to approve pulling a regular package of bills.
- The following cannabis-related bills could be included in a package pull:
- The WA House RUL met late Monday night after the floor session but no cannabis-related bills were pulled from among available legislation:
- SB 5069 - “Allowing interstate cannabis agreements.”
- SB 5340 - “Regarding limits on the sale and possession of retail cannabis products.”
- SB 5363 - “Concerning cannabis retailer advertising.”
- SB 5405 - “Modifying the liquor and cannabis board's subpoena authority.”
- SB 5367 - “Concerning the regulation of products containing THC.” (available after reading of standing committee report on Tuesday)
- On Tuesday April 4th, the WA House APP planned to host an executive session on SB 5080, the social equity program expansion bill - if representatives make it to the end of their agenda.
- Heard on Thursday March 30th, an executive session originally planned for Saturday April 1st was explicitly removed during the meeting without explanation. On Monday afternoon, legislative staff announced the legislation had been placed back on the schedule for their Tuesday meeting, but at the end of deliberations in position 40 of 41 bills to be considered, amended, and voted upon. At publication time, no amendments had been proposed on SB 5080.
- Tuesday occasions the opposite house fiscal committee cutoff, described as the “Last day to read in opposite house committee reports (pass bills out of committee and read them into the record on the floor) from House fiscal committees and Senate Ways & Means and Transportation committees.” The House was scheduled to meet on Tuesday morning for a pro forma session, and presumably chamber leadership would reconvene after the WA House APP meeting to carry out the formality of reading in their final standing committee report.