11 cannabis-related bills were scheduled for activity the week before the house of origin policy committee cutoff, as regulators closely followed to position and prepare accordingly.
Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.
Monday January 22nd
See our Washington State Legislature Update for details on the eight cannabis-related bills scheduled for initial hearings or executive action in House and Senate policy committees on Monday.
WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting
On Monday at 10:30am PT, the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- Executive Session
- SB 6272 - “Dedicating the state share of cannabis excise tax revenue to counties and cities.”
WA House RSG - Committee Meeting
On Monday at 1:30pm PT, the Washington State House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee (WA House RSG) was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- HB 2255 - “Concerning inversion and diversion of cannabis.”
- Executive Session
WA Senate AWNP - Committee Meeting
On Monday at 1:30pm PT, the Washington State Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources, and Parks Committee (WA Senate AWNP) was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- SB 6209 - “Concerning hemp consumable products.”
Tuesday January 23rd
WSLCB - Board Caucus
On Tuesday at 10am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
- Board members were scheduled to hear a 15m update from Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Webster at the beginning of their meeting.
WA HCA - DBHR Listening Session
On Tuesday at 1:30pm PT, the monthly Washington State Health Care Authority (WA HCA) Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) Behavioral Health Service Provider Listening Session was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]
- The event announcement indicated “The call will offer updates on DBHR leadership transitions, the Governor's budget, and legislative updates. There will be time for questions and discussion.”
WA ORC Task Force - Meeting
On Tuesday at 2pm PT, the Washington State Organized Retail Crime Task Force (WA ORC Task Force) was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- Participants were scheduled to discuss the “2024 Legislative Session” towards the end of their meeting.
- Responding to “stealing of cars and then driving them through the front doors of the street retail businesses, including cannabis shops,” during the Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) Symposium in December, Washington State Senate President Pro Tempore Karen Keiser promised to introduce a capital budget appropriation for the Washington State Department of Commerce (WA Commerce) to award grants for “street level retailers to install bollards” in front of their premises, “planters, or pylons, or whatever but as a deterrent to this crash and grab tactic.” She shared draft budget proviso language with WA ORC Task Force members later that month to solicit their feedback.
- Additionally, Senator Jim McCune had introduced two bills seeking to further criminalize retail thefts, one specific to the cannabis sector and another more broadly applicable, both of which had been referred to the Washington State Senate Law and Justice Committee (WA Senate LAW), and neither of which had been scheduled for a public hearing at publication time.
WA House RSG - Committee Meeting
On Tuesday at 4pm PT, the WA House RSG was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- Executive Session
- HB 2182 - “Creating a data dashboard to track use of regulated substances.”
- At the initial public hearing on Tuesday January 16th, testimony on legislation to set up a WSLCB data dashboard was largely supportive, with some calls for additional data or formatting changes.
- HB 2255 - “Concerning inversion and diversion of cannabis.”
- HB 2182 - “Creating a data dashboard to track use of regulated substances.”
Wednesday January 24th
At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.
Thursday January 25th
WA House RSG - Committee Meeting
On Thursday at 8am PT, the WA House RSG was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- Executive Session
- HB 2320 - “Concerning high THC cannabis products.”
- An initial public hearing on the legislation was hosted on Tuesday January 16th. The bill to raise the minimum age of purchase on cannabis concentrates and require additional educational resources received support from prevention groups but opposition from cannabis stakeholders.
- HB 2334 - “Transferring certain cannabis licensing activities to the department of agriculture.”
- At the initial public hearing on Thursday January 18th, prime sponsor Representative Kristine Reeves introduced her legislation as “the start of a conversation” which WSLCB staff received as “a bit of a shock.” But all cannabis sector representatives who spoke expressed enthusiastic support for legislative acknowledgement that cannabis is a plant and growing cannabis is an agricultural process which would likely benefit from oversight and support by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).
- HB 2320 - “Concerning high THC cannabis products.”
WA Senate AWNP - Committee Meeting
On Thursday at 1:30pm PT, the WA Senate AWNP was scheduled to convene.
- [ Event Details ]
- Executive Session
- SB 6209 - “Concerning hemp consumable products.”
Friday January 26th
WA Pharmacy Commission - Legislative Review
On Friday at 12pm PT, the weekly Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (WA Pharmacy Commission) Legislative Review was scheduled to recur.
- [ Event Details ]