The social equity bill made it through the opposite house fiscal committee gateway on Tuesday as legislators prepared for floor sessions and budget fights till sine die.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Wednesday April 5th, the 87th day of the 2023 Regular Session.
My top 3 takeaways:
- On Tuesday April 4th, the Washington State House Appropriations Committee (WA House APP) recommended passage of SB 5080, legislation to significantly expand the social equity in cannabis licensing program.
- An executive session originally planned for Saturday April 1st was explicitly removed during that meeting without explanation. On Monday April 3rd, legislative staff announced the legislation had been placed on the schedule for their Tuesday meeting at the end of deliberations in position 40 of 41 bills to be considered, amended, and voted upon.
- During the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus on Tuesday morning, Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Webster indicated that “the bill has seen a number of potential amendments, going back to late last week and over the weekend” and suggested board members “prepare for what might be kind of a big fight on the floor between those who don’t want to see these new licenses come out - and those that do” (audio - 1m, video - WSLCB, video - TVW). Board Chair David Postman followed up to note “there are serious efforts to gut the bill” and “it’s disappointing to hear some the arguments being made” (audio - 2m, video - WSLCB, video - TVW).
- On Tuesday, WA House APP members moved that the legislation as amended by the Washington State House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee (WA House RSG) be recommended out of committee. Representative April Berg spoke to the majority democratic position (audio - 2m, video). Representative Kelly Chambers, who represented the House Republican Caucus on the Washington State Legislative Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis (WA SECTF), spoke against the legislation (audio - 2m, video) and was backed up by Representative Chris Corry (audio - 1m, video).
- Members voted to recommend the legislation 18-13-0 in a straight party line vote with the exception of Democrat Steve Bergquist who opposed passage.
- While the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) did not calendar any cannabis bills on Tuesday, they announced plans to meet again on Wednesday.
- Committee leadership planned to draw up regular, consent, and gubernatorial appointment packages for approval, the latter of which could include the confirmations of two WSLCB board members:
- Members would also be granted one pull from the committee White Sheet, which included the following cannabis-related legislation at publication time:
- On Wednesday April 5th, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) and the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) planned a day of floor sessions following the opposite house fiscal committee cutoff on Tuesday.
- One cannabis bill, SB 5546 (“Establishing a Washington state cannabis commission”), was not granted a hearing by WA House APP leadership ahead of the Tuesday cutoff. While the legislation could be deemed “necessary to implement budgets” (NTIB) or reintroduced next year, Cannabis Observer considers it inactive for the time being.
- The WA Senate planned to convene at 9am on Wednesday and each day thereafter for the remainder of the week, including Saturday. At publication time, one cannabis-related bill was available to senators for second and third reading:
- HB 1066 - “Making technical corrections and removing obsolete language from the Revised Code of Washington pursuant to RCW 1.08.025.”
- The WA House planned to convene at 10am on Wednesday and would meet at 9am on subsequent days through Saturday. At publication time, no cannabis-related bills were available on the House floor calendar whereas six were stacked up in the Washington State House Rules Committee (WA House RUL) awaiting member, package, or chamber pulls.
- SB 5069 - “Allowing interstate cannabis agreements.”
- SB 5080 - “Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program.”
- SB 5340 - “Regarding limits on the sale and possession of retail cannabis products.”
- SB 5363 - “Concerning cannabis retailer advertising.”
- SB 5367 - “Concerning the regulation of products containing THC.”
- SB 5405 - “Modifying the liquor and cannabis board's subpoena authority.”
- During the WSLCB Board Caucus on Tuesday, Chair Postman had to inquire about the status of SB 5405. Webster indicated agency staff “had some thinking to do about what the best path forward is on that one” as their Assistant Attorneys General (AAGs) as well as the “Enforcement and Education division is not really happy with where it is” (audio - 2m, video).
- Wednesday April 12th at 5pm would occasion the opposite house cutoff, the last formal gateway before the end of the regular session, described as the “Last day to consider (pass) opposite house bills (5 p.m.) (except initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets, differences between the houses, and matters incident to the interim and closing of the session).”