WA Legislature - Update
(February 28, 2025)

WA Legislature - Update (February 28, 2025) - Takeaways

The retail signage legislation was advanced but it seemed likely four other cannabis-related bills would not make it through the House of Origin Fiscal Committee Cutoff gateway by the close of business Friday.

Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Friday February 28th, the 47th day of the 2025 regular session.

My top 3 takeaways:

  • On Thursday during the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee (WA Senate WM) meeting, members advanced the cannabis retail signage legislation.
    • SB 5206 - Cannabis Retailer Advertising
      • Republican Deputy Leader Drew MacEwen introduced a reprise of his 2023-24 bill SB 5363 which was not advanced by representatives prior to the opposite house cutoff in 2024.  The bill would change requirements for retail advertising signage and transfer authority over trade name signs from the WSLCB to local jurisdictions.
      • During the public hearing in the Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) on Monday February 10th, cannabis sector interests presented an uncharacteristically unified message of support for the legislation.  The bill was resisted by public health and prevention representatives who framed the measure as increasing retail advertising, overburdening local jurisdictions, and normalizing cannabis.
      • During the executive session on Tuesday February 18th, SB 5206 was recommended without changes.
      • The committee report was read during the Senate floor session on Wednesday February 19th and the bill was referred to the WA Senate WM for fiscal review.  The next day, a public hearing on the legislation was scheduled for Monday February 24th.  On the morning of the hearing, an executive session was scheduled for the committee meeting on Thursday February 27th.
      • During the public hearing on Monday February 24th, WA Senate WM Outlook Coordinator Corban Nemeth provided a comprehensive briefing of the bill’s effects (audio - 4m, video - TVW).  Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) Executive Director and Lobbyist Vicki Christophersen testified in favor of the legislation, emphasizing the distinction between advertising and trade name signs; the movement of control of trade name signs to local jurisdictions; and confusion over the WSLCB fiscal note as she expected less need for State enforcement (audio - 1m, video - TVW).  Washington Association for Substance Misuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP) President Linda Thompson testified against the legislation, reiterating her organization’s opposition to any expansion of cannabis advertising and concern about increased youth exposure to cannabis signs (audio - 1m, video - TVW).  Senators had no questions for either staff or those testifying.
      • On Thursday during the executive session, there were no amendments on the legislation which was quickly passed in a voice vote without discussion.
      • The committee report would likely be read in the chamber on Friday and recommend referral to the Washington State Senate Rules Committee (WA Senate RULE) for calendaring.
  • There were no introductions of cannabis-related legislation on Thursday, and none planned for Friday.
    • The draft introduction reports in the House and the Senate for Friday February 28th did not appear to include new cannabis-related legislation, reflecting the complications besetting introduction of legislation after the House of Origin Policy Committee Cutoff.
  • On Friday, no cannabis-related legislation had been scheduled for consideration as committee activity wrapped up and each chamber undertook floor sessions to advance bills before the House of Origin Fiscal Committee Cutoff.
    • At publication time, four cannabis-related bills were assigned to fiscal committees and were at risk of becoming inactive if not moved prior to the cutoff on Friday.
    • On Friday, the House planned to convene a pro forma floor session at 9:55am [ TVW ] and the Senate planned to convene a floor session at 10:00am [ TVW ].
    • On Friday at close of business, the WA Legislature would achieve the House of Origin Fiscal Committee Cutoff, the second cutoff gateway of the 2025 regular session.
      • Legislation referred to fiscal committees must be heard, potentially amended, recommended, and a report read during a chamber floor session before the close of business Friday to continue advancing.
        • 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.
        • At publication time, it appeared likely that the four bills listed above would not be advanced prior to the cutoff, leaving nine cannabis-related bills active, an attrition rate of 30% over the course of the week.
        • See the Cannabis Observer 2025-26 biennium landing screen for a complete list of cannabis-related and -adjacent legislation being tracked.
    • The next gateway, the House of Origin Cutoff, would occur on Wednesday March 12th at 5pm PT.  Bills must be calendared, added to an order of consideration, read, potentially amended, debated, and voted out of the chamber of origin before the cutoff to continue in 2025.