WSLCB - Board Caucus
(November 7, 2023) - Summary

2023-11-07 - WSLCB - Board Caucus - Summary - Takeaways

Staff shared rulemaking progress including upcoming outreach events, a new petition on cannabis testing results, and a timeline for implementing social equity legislation.

Here are some observations from the Tuesday November 7th Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus.

My top 3 takeaways:

  • Policy and Rules Manager Cassidy West talked about drafting conceptual rules and integrating feedback for three rulemaking projects.
  • West mentioned a petition she’d received on extending the expiration dates for certificates of analysis (COA) for cannabis products (audio - 1m, Video - TVW, Rulemaking Project).
    • Submitted to the agency on October 30th, West stated the unnamed petitioner wanted the board to “consider rulemaking to extend the expiration date for the certificate of analysis for cannabis products not yet…transferred to a retail store from 12 months to 18 months.” She said staff would have a “response to the board in December that will include a recommendation to either approve or deny the petitioner’s request.”
    • Board Chair David Postman wondered when the recommendation might be presented. West replied that 60 days after the petition was received would be “December 29th, so it'll be the board meeting before that,” potentially on December 20th. Encouraging public participation, Postman observed “there's no public hearing prior to a petition coming to the board, but it doesn't stop people from sending their thoughts to, to any of us, or you” (audio - 1m, Video - TVW).
  • Preparations to start SB 5080 Implementation to expand and amend the social equity licensing program at WSLCB were outlined by West (audio - 3m, Video - TVW).
    • Passed into law on May 1st, West said the CR-101 to begin the rulemaking process “related to expanding and…improving the social equity in cannabis program” would be offered for approval during the Wednesday November 8th Board Meeting.
    • “In recognizing that cannabis prohibition laws were disproportionately enforced for decades, and that…cumulative harms from the enforcement remain today, in 2020 LCB developed agency request legislation that created the State social equity program, social equity task force, an opportunity to provide a limited number of licenses to individuals disproportionately…impacted by the enforcement of prohibition laws.” Following task force recommendations completed at the end of 2022, she noted that officials initiated SB 5080 as WSLCB request legislation. “The legislation enacted expand[ed] the scale of the current social equity program and makes it more effective by allowing additional retail stores over time,” she remarked, as well as allowing issuance of “up to 100 processor licenses immediately.” West mentioned a cap of ten producer licenses which could “also be issued in conjunction with the processor licenses. Additionally, social equity licenses are provided more flexibility to locate a store while also [maintaining] local control over zoning and outlet density.”
      • While processor licenses could be issued immediately once the agency establishes rule, according to section 3 of the bill text, “January 1, 2025, up to 10 cannabis producer licenses, which must be issued in conjunction with a cannabis processor license.”
    • West felt needed rules included “updating definitions such as ‘disproportionately impacted area,’ ‘social equity plan,’ ‘social equity applicant,’” and more “within the scope of the social equity in cannabis program.” Additionally, she commented how the project would incorporate “a framework and process for local jurisdiction input on outlet density; expanding a social equity…license issuance and reissuance; providing for license mobility and county threshold establishment; and other revisions as necessary…to align the current rules with the scope of the legislation.”
    • Following board approval of the CR-101, West relayed “stakeholder engagement sessions [were] tentatively planned to be held early next year, and the CR-102 is tentatively planned to be presented to the board in early April.”
    • Postman wanted a better understanding of when the project would be completed. West described her intention for “evaluating” the existing rule, followed by stakeholder input sessions in December 2023, or January 2024. From there, she expected a CR-102 with proposed rule language could be presented April 10th, followed by a public hearing on May 22nd. Under this timeline, final rules would be offered for board adoption “on June 5th, which would mean that the rules would be effective July 21st,” 2024 (audio - 1m, Video - TVW).

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