At the first work group meeting, members introduced themselves and heard agency leaders’ intentions to gather input on the effectiveness of 2022 cannabis testing changes.
After the house of origin fiscal committee cutoff, 18 cannabis bills remained active—one less than expected—as legislators prepared for floor debate over the next week and a half.
Three cannabis bills were moved on Thursday and home grow was poised for advance on Friday before the house of origin fiscal committee cutoff would leave 19 cannabis bills in play.
The first substantial cannabis legislation was passed by the Senate, home grow was heard in its fiscal committee, and four cannabis bills were positioned for executive sessions on Thursday.
Inclusion of civil infractions in a bill to allow home growing of cannabis carried costs for state and local governments, and a police association lobbyist explained her group’s new position of ‘other.’
The medical cannabis patient excise tax exemption bill made it through the fiscal committee gateway whereas home grow legislation was getting a late start, but was positioned to proceed.
After fiscal committee work and announcement of schedules for the remainder of the week before cutoff, only two of 22 active cannabis bills appeared at risk of being left behind.
Within its fiscal committee, testimony on a cannabinoid regulation bill championed by WSLCB was divided, there were THC threshold concerns, but also claims the bill helped cannabis tax revenue.
With 22 of 34 cannabis-related bills through the initial house of origin policy committee gateway, the fiscal committees took over - and four bills appeared to have uncertain futures.
Leaders touched on several bills concerning cannabinoid regulation and “inactive” producer licenses in addition to a favorable court ruling and social equity program updates.
