The Week Ahead
(December 18, 2023)

WSLCB - Sand and Watch - Seahawk Osprey Eagle - Time Keeps On

WSLCB staff sought feedback as they struggled to implement “the THC bill” and prepared a recommendation to the board on a rulemaking petition to extend COA expiration dates.

Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.

Monday December 18th

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

Tuesday December 19th

WSLCB - Board Caucus

On Tuesday at 10am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.

WSLCB - Focus Group - SB 5367 Implementation

On Tuesday at 2pm PT, the WSLCB Policy and Rules team planned to host a second focus group on the implementation of the SB 5367 rulemaking project.

  • [ Event Details, Rulemaking Project ]
  • On the morning of Monday December 11th, WSLCB staff announcedthree focus groups had been scheduled for the upcoming two weeks before the holiday season. Hours later at the WACA Symposium, Policy and Rules Manager Cassidy West highlighted the announcement during a panel discussion.
    • In her last public update on the SB 5367 rulemaking during the Wednesday December 6th board meeting, West stated her intention to send out notice later that week of two planned stakeholder engagement sessions on December 15th and 19th. There was no prior public mention of plans for a third session on December 21st.
  • The first focus group on Friday December 15th was initiated without the benefit of an agenda, slidedeck, or supporting documentation to indicate the purpose of the event and allow interested participants to prepare. As the webinar began, West directed participants to a handout describing topics of interest to WSLCB staff which had been published on the WSLCB website minutes before.
    • Throughout the event, West made reference via screenshare to a complicated draft document containing a table of potential rule changes which she promised to share with participants at a later time. At publication time, Cannabis Observer had not obtained a copy of that document and it had not been published on the WSLCB website.
  • The handout described four discussion topics which agency staff were “stuck on.”  These were the same topics which West, in her absence, asked Acting Research Manager Sarah Okey to present to the WSLCB Cannabinoid Science Work Group on December 7th to solicit feedback, seemingly to the puzzlement of members present.
    • Amended definition of “THC concentration”
    • Amended definition of “cannabis products”
    • Prohibition on the use of synthetic cannabinoids
    • New definitions for “package” and “unit”
  • Following the focus group on Friday, which was adjourned after one hour, WSLCB staff updated the rulemaking website to indicate pre-proposal “Comments are due on January 10, 2024 at midnight (12:00 A.M.)”

Wednesday December 20th

WSLCB - Board Meeting

On Wednesday at 10am PT, the bi-weekly WSLCB Board Meeting was scheduled to recur.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • During the board caucus on December 5th, West indicated her intention to bring forward a recommendation during the December 20th board meeting on a rulemaking petition seeking to extend cannabis product Certificate of Analysis (COA) Expiration Dates from 12 to 18 months.
    • Breaking from prior Policy and Rules frameworks for addressing rulemaking petitions, the team under West’s leadership sought stakeholder and public feedback in advance of presenting recommended actions to the board.

Thursday December 21st

WSLCB - Focus Group - SB 5367 Implementation

On Thursday at 1pm PT, the WSLCB Policy and Rules team planned to host a third focus group on the implementation of the SB 5367 rulemaking project.

Friday December 22nd

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.