As finishing touches were made to wrap up 2023 regular session legislation, lawmakers would reconvene in special session to redress the State v. Blake decision and consequences.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday May 15th
WA Governor - Bill Action
On Monday at 2:45pm PT, the Washington State Office of the Governor (WA Governor) planned to host a bill signing ceremony.
- [ Event Details ]
- HB 1066 - "Making technical corrections and removing obsolete language from the Revised Code of Washington pursuant to RCW 1.08.025."
- The last cannabis-related bill awaiting executive action, the WA Governor could have allowed this legislation to automatically become law 20 days after session since it's a technical fix bill. However, Representative Roger Goodman is the primary sponsor of the legislation, so it’s possible the Governor may want to acknowledge this contribution of a key progressive House Democrat leader.
Tuesday May 16th
WSLCB - Board Caucus
On Tuesday at 8am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
- According to the agenda, board members were scheduled to meet for 4.5 hours on Tuesday morning to “conduct interviews for the position of the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s Agency Director.”
- During the Wednesday May 10th Executive Management Team meeting, agency leadership recognized the impending departure of Director Rick Garza.
WA Senate - Session
On Tuesday at 10am PT, the Washington State Senate (WA Senate) planned to convene in session.
- [ Event Details ]
- On Tuesday May 2nd, Governor Jay Inslee announced a proclamation convening a 30-day special session of the Washington State Legislature on Tuesday May 16th to complete a “Blake fix” before July 1st.
- Jerry Cornfield, writing for the freshly launched Washington State Standard, provided the following perspective on what to expect beginning on Tuesday:
- When the House rejected the compromise on Senate Bill 5536, known as a conference committee report, it returned to the Senate Rules Committee in the form that passed in March.
- At the point legislative leaders think they have an agreement, the bill will be brought to the Senate floor, amended with the language of the deal and voted on.
- “I have full faith it will be a bipartisan bill coming out of the Senate,” [Senator Manka] Dhingra said.
- Presuming it passes, it will be sent to the House. If it undergoes any change there, it must be sent back to the Senate for concurrence.
WA House - Session
On Tuesday at 10am PT, the Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) planned to convene in session.
- [ Event Details ]
WA Governor - Bill Action
On Tuesday at 10:30am PT, the Washington State Office of the Governor (WA Governor) planned to host a bill signing ceremony.
- [ Event Details ]
- SB 5187 - “Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium operating appropriations.”
- SB 5200 - “Concerning the capital budget.”
- While cannabis-related items are not usually present in the capital budget, a proviso was added very late in the process after state regulators raised concerns about legacy pesticides in agricultural and cannabis production environments around Washington state.
- During the WSLCB board caucus on Tuesday April 25th, Director of Legislative Relations Marc Webster indicated “the [dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene] DDE pesticide issue” got the attention of lawmakers who “had to come up with some kind of response in a few days” before session ended. They’d settled on a “five million dollar soil remediation project helmed by the Department of Ecology that was funded in the [20]23-25 capital budget” and required consultation by WSLCB representatives.
- While cannabis-related items are not usually present in the capital budget, a proviso was added very late in the process after state regulators raised concerns about legacy pesticides in agricultural and cannabis production environments around Washington state.
Wednesday May 17th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Thursday May 18th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Friday May 19th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.