WA Legislature - Update
(January 14, 2025)

WA Legislature - Update (January 14, 2025) - Takeaways

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:

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
    • 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.
      • Public Hearing
    • 4pm: WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
      • Work Session
        • "Governor Inslee’s 2025-27 Biennial and 2025 Supplemental Operating Budget Proposals."
      • Public Hearing