WA Legislature - Update
(March 4, 2025)

Starting at 8am, the primary cannabis policy committee in the House would learn about ESOPs from invited experts before legislators took up floor activity in both chambers.

Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Tuesday March 4th, the 51st day of the 2025 regular session.

My top 2 takeaways:

• There were no introductions of cannabis-related legislation on Monday, and none planned for Tuesday.
  • The draft introduction reports in the House and the Senate for Tuesday March 4th did not appear to include new cannabis-related legislation, reflecting the complications besetting introduction of legislation after the House of Origin Policy and Fiscal Committee Cutoffs.

• On Tuesday, the Washington State House Consumer Protection and Business Committee (WA House CPB) planned to host a work session on employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) before legislators convened floor sessions to debate and advance bills.
  • 8am: WA House CPB - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
    • Work Session
      • Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
    • On Monday afternoon, the agenda for the work session was published.
      • National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) Founder Corey Rosen, who was instrumental in conceptualizing and passing federal legislation regarding ESOPs, would represent the Washington Employee Ownership Commission (WA EOC) although he was not listed among the commission members.  He provided the committee with an essay describing ESOPs.
      • Two officials from the Washington State Department of Commerce (WA Commerce) would walkthrough a presentation on the Washington Employee Ownership Program (WA EOP) and the WA EOC.
    • WA House CPB members heard testimony on HB 1348 (Cannabis ESOPs) and scheduled an executive session on the legislation twice, but ultimately did not take action to advance the bill prior to the House of Origin Policy Committee Cutoff.
  • 9am: WA House - Session
    • [ Floor Activity Report, TVW - Morning, TVW - Afternoon, TVW - Evening ]
    • At publication time, one cannabis-related bill was positioned for floor activity in the House.
      • HB 1551 - Social Equity Program Evaluation
  • 10am: WA Senate - Session
    • [ Floor Activity Report, TVW - Morning, TVW - Afternoon, TVW - Evening ]
    • At publication time, one adjacent bill was positioned for floor activity in the Senate.
      • SB 5067 - Alcohol BAC Limit and DUI
        • On Monday March 3rd during the Washington State Senate Rules Committee Meeting (WA Senate RULE), Senator Jesse Salomon awkwardly motioned for SB 5067 to be added to the chamber second reading calendar.  Senator Curtis King expressed his sense that the bill would not have the outcomes some expected but the legislation was calendared in what appeared to be a partisan voice vote (video - TVW).