Legislation creating social equity buffer zones could be fast tracked and out of state ownership would be heard in the Senate, but many cannabis-related bills remained at risk before the first cutoff on Friday.
Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Monday February 17th, the 36th day of the 2025 regular session.
My top 3 takeaways:
- On Monday, a new bill aiming to redefine buffer zones for social equity applicants was staged for introduction in the Senate - and already had a public hearing and executive session planned before the first cutoff on Friday.
- SB 5758 - "Supporting social equity in the cannabis industry by establishing distance requirements for certain licensees."
- Social Equity Buffer Zones
- Senator Rebecca Saldaña planned to introduce legislation that, as written, would create a separate set of boundary restrictions for licenses issued under RCW 69.50.335(1), the cannabis social equity program.
- The 1000’ buffer zone defined in RCW 69.50.331(8)(a) would be changed to a 500’ buffer zone for equity applicants:
- “(ii) A license under RCW 69.50.335(1) for any premises within 500 feet of the perimeter of the grounds of any elementary or secondary school, playground, recreation center or facility, child care center, public park, public transit center, or library, or any game arcade admission to which is not restricted to persons aged 21 years or older.”
- Additionally, the legislation would preempt local jurisdictions from implementing ordinances which would create buffer zones greater than 250’ between a social equity licensed business and other retailers:
- “(g) A city, town, or county may not restrict the retail premises of a cannabis license issued under RCW 69.50.335(1) from locating more than 250 feet from the premises of any other cannabis retail license.”
- The 1000’ buffer zone defined in RCW 69.50.331(8)(a) would be changed to a 500’ buffer zone for equity applicants:
- According to the draft introduction report, the legislation was planned for referral to the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) where Saldaña was Chair.
- Before introduction, the bill had a public hearing planned in WA Senate LC on Tuesday February 18thand a potential executive session scheduled for Friday February 21st.
- If recommended by the committee on Friday, their report could be read in during the subsequent Senate floor session that day - ahead of the House of Origin Policy Committee Cutoff.
- The draft introduction reports in the House and the Senate for Monday February 17th did not appear to include additional cannabis-related legislation, reflecting an overall continued decline in introductions of new legislation ahead of the first cutoff.
- SB 5758 - "Supporting social equity in the cannabis industry by establishing distance requirements for certain licensees."
- Also on Monday, perennial out of state ownership legislation was scheduled for an initial hearing in the Senate after its companion legislation in the House appeared unlikely to be moved.
- 10:30am: WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Public Hearing
- SB 5456 - Out of State Ownership
- On January 23rd, Senator Derek Stanford introduced a companion bill to HB 1346 in the Senate, legislation seeking to lift requirements which limit ownership of Washington cannabis business licenses to state residents and allegedly diminish the influx of capital from out of state investors. He was joined by Republican Deputy Leader Drew MacEwen and Majority Whip T’wina Nobles as co-sponsors.
- See the bill analysis and fiscal note for more details.
- HB 1346 was heard on February 4th in the Washington State House Consumer Protection and Business Committee (WA House CPB) where more people testified and signed in against the legislation.
- Representatives and members of the Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) and Producers NW testified in support, emphasizing business normalization, competition with marketing proxies for out of state businesses, and the “capital intensive” nature of some businesses in the cannabis sector.
- Members of the Washington Cannabis Licensees Association (WCLA) along with representatives from Black Excellence in Cannabis (BEC), the Washington Association for Substance Misuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP), and others led a strong showing against the legislation, which was framed as only benefiting the largest interests in the state. The influx of capital expected after passage of the bill was described as exacerbating oversupply to lower wholesale prices in an effort to undermine local businesses, leading to increased attrition, consolidation, and lower tax revenue for the State.
- Representatives from the Cannabis Alliance and the Washington Sun and Craft Growers Association (WSCA) were signed in “other” but were not called to testify about likely mixed perspectives among their membership.
- On January 23rd, Senator Derek Stanford introduced a companion bill to HB 1346 in the Senate, legislation seeking to lift requirements which limit ownership of Washington cannabis business licenses to state residents and allegedly diminish the influx of capital from out of state investors. He was joined by Republican Deputy Leader Drew MacEwen and Majority Whip T’wina Nobles as co-sponsors.
- SB 5456 - Out of State Ownership
- Public Hearing
- 1:30pm: WA House CS - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Executive Session
- HB 1276 -
Organized Retail Theft Sentencing Enhancement- Representative Mari Leavitt introduced legislation to increase the maximum sentencing range for individuals convicted of organized retail theft in possession of substantially valued stolen property.
- Leavitt was initially joined by Minority Whip Dan Griffey, a Washington State House Community Safety Committee (WA House CS) member where the legislation was referred, before seven additional bipartisan co-sponsors signed on in support.
- See the bill analysis and fiscal note for more details.
- During the public hearing on February 10th, representatives of retail associations, local jurisdictions, and law enforcement testified in support of the legislation. Opponents included representatives of defense attorneys and public defenders who pointed to evidence that sentencing enhancements don't deter crimes; existing laws are more widely applicable and increase sentencing limits more; and claims by large corporate retailers that theft is on the rise are misleading at best and fraudulent in specific cases.
- As dramatic cannabis retail thefts began to subside—or at least receive less direction of attention by regional media—the sector and its challenges seemed to have become less pressing for elected officials. HB 1548, legislation specifically regarding cannabis retail robberies, had not been granted a public hearing by WA House CS at publication time.
- On the evening of Wednesday February 12th, a potential executive session on HB 1276 was scheduled for the Monday February 17th meeting of WA House CS. But by Friday morning, it had been removed.
- Additionally, the committee simultaneously cancelled their Tuesday meeting and also made changes to their final meeting on Thursday prior to the cutoff on Friday. So it would appear that legislation’s opportunities for advancement were diminished.
- Representative Mari Leavitt introduced legislation to increase the maximum sentencing range for individuals convicted of organized retail theft in possession of substantially valued stolen property.
- HB 1276 -
- Executive Session
- Also on Monday, the House planned to convene a floor session at 10:30am [ TVW ] and the Senate planned to convene a floor session at 12:30pm [ TVW ].
- At publication time, no cannabis-related legislation was positioned for potential floor activity, but three bills were ready for calendaring in the Washington State House Rules Committee (WA House RUL):
- 10:30am: WA Senate LC - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
- Absent further action, 15 cannabis-related bills and six adjacent bills were at risk of becoming inactive after the House of Origin Policy Committee Cutoff on Friday February 21st - a potential culling of more than 60%.
- Legislation must be heard, potentially amended, recommended, and a policy committee report read during a chamber floor session before the close of business Friday to traverse the first cutoff gateway of the 2025 regular session.
- There are exceptions. Legislation can be designated “necessary to implement budgets” (NTIB) by chamber leaders to exempt it from the regular rules of order, loosely interpreted to mean a bill has been projected to have a measurable fiscal impact.
- See the Cannabis Observer 2025-26 biennium landing screen for a complete list of cannabis-related and -adjacent legislation being tracked.
- At publication time, the following bills had been heard in committee but did not have an executive session scheduled.
- HB 1067 - Cannabis Producer Authority Transfer
- HB 1276 - Organized Retail Theft Sentencing Enhancement
- HB 1315 - Alcohol BAC Limit and DUI
- HB 1346 - Out of State Ownership
- HB 1410 - Suspending Inactive Producer Licenses
- HB 1449 - Cannabis Home Grow
- HB 1551 - Social Equity Program Evaluation
- SB 5067 - Alcohol BAC Limit and DUI
- SB 5547 - Cannabis Excise Tax Local Distributions
- At publication time, the following bills had a public hearing scheduled in the coming week, but did not have an executive session announced.
- At publication time, the following bills had not been heard in committee nor did they have a public hearing scheduled.
- Among 34 cannabis-related and adjacent bills being tracked at publication time, 21 were at risk at the first cutoff - over 60%.
- Legislation must be heard, potentially amended, recommended, and a policy committee report read during a chamber floor session before the close of business Friday to traverse the first cutoff gateway of the 2025 regular session.