The regular session got underway with the introduction of legislation and a briefing on the budget; Tuesday would include the first public hearing of a bill in the new cannabis policy committee in the House.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Tuesday January 14th, the 2nd day of the 2025 regular session.
My top 4 takeaways:
- Opening ceremonies in both chambers proceeded in tandem on Monday, ending with the first reading and referral of pre-filed legislation to policy committees; meanwhile, co-sponsors queued up to lend their support to several cannabis-related bills.
- Starting at 12pm on Monday, opening ceremonies were undertaken in the House [ TVW ] and Senate [ TVW ] beginning the 2025 regular session of the 2025-26 legislative biennium.
- Towards the end of the floor sessions, all cannabis-related and -adjacent bills were introduced and referred to committees as planned. Throughout the day, new co-sponsors signed up in support.
- HB 1066 - WSLCB Data Dashboard
- Referred to the Washington State House Consumer Protection and Business Committee (WA House CPB)
- Public hearing scheduled for Tuesday January 14th at 1:30pm
- Prime sponsor Representative Kristine Reeves was joined by Melanie Morgan, Sharon Wylie, and Lauren Davis
- HB 1067 - Cannabis Producer Authority Transfer
- Referred to WA House CPB
- Public hearing scheduled for Friday January 17th at 8am
- Reeves was again joined by Morgan and Wylie as well freshman Representative Natasha Hill from Spokane (District 3)
- HB 1141 - Cannabis Production Unions
- Referred to the Washington State House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee (WA House LAWS)
- Public hearing scheduled for Wednesday January 15th at 8am
- At publication time, prime sponsor Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self had been notably joined by 24 co-sponsors on her legislation to assign the Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission (WA PERC) responsibility for adjudicating labor disputes between employees and managers in plant-touching businesses (producers and producers with an attached processor license).
- In 2021, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Division of Advice published a non-binding memorandum stating that workers in plant-touching cannabis businesses were considered agricultural laborers and therefore exempt from the privileges and protections of the National Labor Relations Act.
- SB 5206 - Cannabis Retailer Advertising
- Referred to the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC)
- At publication time, no public hearing scheduled
- Senator Drew MacEwen remained the sole sponsor of his bill at publication time.
- HB 1066 - WSLCB Data Dashboard
- An official from the Washington State Office of Financial Management (WA OFM) presented a high-level overview of outgoing Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed operating budget priorities to House fiscal committee members before an initial public hearing on the legislation.
- On Monday at 4pm, the Washington State House Appropriations Committee (WA House APP) convened for the first time during the 2025 regular session.
- Members hosted a work session to hear WA OFM Budget Director Nona Snell talk through the numbers in the Governor’s 2025-27 proposed operating budget and emphasize highlights. Members had no questions for Snell.
- Subsequently, the committee hosted a combined initial public hearing on the 2023-25 supplemental operating budget (HB 1197) and the 2025-27 operating budget (HB 1198). 145 individuals signed up to testify to express concerns or support for the financial outlook and were granted one minute each to make their case to members, running into the early evening.
- One cannabis-adjacent bill concerning organized retail theft was staged for introduction in the House on Tuesday.
- HB 1276 - “Concerning organized retail theft.”
- Retail Theft Sentencing Enhancement
- Prime sponsor Representative Mari Leavitt, a Democrat, was joined by Representative Dan Griffey, the Minority Whip, in introducing the legislation which aimed to increase the maximum sentencing range for individuals convicted of organized retail theft in possession of substantially valued stolen property.
- According to the draft introduction report, the bill was scheduled for referral to the Washington State House Community Safety Committee (WA House CS) during the House pro forma floor session on Tuesday morning at 9:55am.
- HB 1276 - “Concerning organized retail theft.”
- On Tuesday, in addition to a cannabis-adjacent bill concerning impaired driving, legislators planned to hear testimony on legislation directing the WSLCB to develop particular data dashboards, the first cannabis bill to receive a house of origin policy committee public hearing in 2025.
- 8am: WA Senate LAW - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- SB 5067 - Alcohol BAC Limit and DUI
- Public safety advocates were returning to Olympia to renew efforts to lower the State blood alcohol content (BAC) limit from 0.08 to 0.05 in a bill broadly titled “Concerning impaired driving.”
- While acutely focused on necessary statutory changes to lower the BAC limit, the bill as written also included a provision asking the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to conduct a study on driving under the influence (DUI) which may be inclusive of data on cannabis impaired driving.
- A partial fiscal note on the legislation was published overnight, and the proposed substitute under consideration on Tuesday only changed the due date for the WSIPP report, pushing it out one year to March 2029.
- SB 5067 - Alcohol BAC Limit and DUI
- Public Hearing
- 10:15am: WA Legislature - Joint Session [ TVW ]
- State of the State Address by outgoing Governor Jay Inslee
- 1:30pm: WA House CPB - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Work Session
- "Alcohol and Tobacco Policy and Regulatory Overview."
- The WSLCB staff presentation slidedeck was published on Monday as well as the more detailed agenda. Director William Lukela would be joined by Director of Policy and External Affairs Justin Nordhorn, Director of Licensing and Regulation Becky Smith, and Enforcement Captain Jennifer Dzubay.
- "Alcohol and Tobacco Policy and Regulatory Overview."
- Public Hearing
- HB 1066 - WSLCB Data Dashboard
- Work Session
- 4pm: WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- 8am: WA Senate LAW - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]