With few exceptions, the majority of cannabis legislation remained stationed in the House and Senate rules committees as legislators devoted their floor session time to other legislation.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Thursday April 6th, the 88th day of the 2023 Regular Session.
My top 3 takeaways:
- On Wednesday April 5th, the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) amended and passed HB 1066, legislation which would make technical changes to statute including cannabis language changes.
- An amendment by Senator Lisa Wellman had no effect on cannabis provisions which were described in the bill report as replacing ‘instances of the word "marijuana" with "cannabis," in accordance with 2022 legislation, in statutes related to criminal procedure, long-term care worker screening, and business and occupation tax.’
- Senators voted 48-0-1 to pass the House legislation back to their peers for a concurrence vote on the change and final passage.
- Also on Wednesday, the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) included Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Member Ollie Garrett’s gubernatorial appointment in a package of bills added to the confirmation calendar; Board Member Jim Vollendroff’s confirmation remained in committee.
- WSLCB Board Chair David Postman’s appointment was pulled by committee members on March 24th and the Senate as a whole confirmed the Governor’s action on March 29th.
- On Tuesday April 4th during the WSLCB Board Caucus, Postman expressed surprise that his peer’s appointment confirmations hadn’t been moved to Director of Legislative Relations Marc Webster, who said he would look into it (audio - 1m, video - WSLCB, video - TVW).
- At publication time, two cannabis bills remained in WA Senate RULE awaiting a pull to the chamber floor calendar:
- And six cannabis bills remained in the Washington State House Rules Committee (WA House RUL):
- 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.”
- On Thursday April 6th, legislators planned a day of floor sessions to continue moving legislation ahead of the opposite house cutoff gateway on Wednesday April 12th.
- The WA Senate planned to convene at 9am on Thursday and each day thereafter for the remainder of the week, including Saturday. In addition to Garrett’s appointment confirmation, at publication time one cannabis bill was available to senators for concurrence with House changes:
- SB 5123 - “Concerning the employment of individuals who lawfully consume cannabis.”
- The WA House planned to convene at 9am on Thursday and on subsequent days through Saturday. At publication time, no cannabis-related bills were available on the House floor calendar and no meetings of the Washington State House Rules Committee (WA House RUL) had been announced, although democratic leadership had predominantly utilized package pulls from the chamber floor throughout the session.
- 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).”
- The WA Senate planned to convene at 9am on Thursday and each day thereafter for the remainder of the week, including Saturday. In addition to Garrett’s appointment confirmation, at publication time one cannabis bill was available to senators for concurrence with House changes: