Legislation which would expand the scope of the state’s cannabis social equity program, assistance grants, and social equity task force received a welcoming policy committee hearing.
Testimony in the fiscal committee hearing on cannabis home grow was mostly positive with over one hundred people signed in support, while a small group voiced concerns about youth access and normalization.
Board members and staff discussed a new rulemaking project to reform agency judgment of criminal history records, the deliberative dialogues, and media coverage of home grow legislation.
Written testimony submitted regarding HB 1019, a bill dealing with adult cannabis cultivation, revealed a large amount of encouraging feedback and a couple of dissenting critiques.
Of 19 bills closely tracked, five were out of committee and seven were scheduled for action this week - including new bills to limit cannabis concentrates and a drug decriminalization bill.
A public hearing on a bill which would extend arrest protections to all medical cannabis patients received wholly positive testimony and addressed questions from committee members.
Task force members recommended expanding the qualifying criteria for the social equity program to include race and opening the technical assistance grant program to current licensees and retail title certificate holders.
No one showed up to testify on proposed rules to implement HB 2826, but two public comments addressed hemp biomass in the 502 market and an upcoming deliberative dialogue session.
Among many subjects, agency leadership discussed the hiring of a new Director of Enforcement and Education, an interpretive statement on CBD product sales, and the social equity task force.
A diverse majority publicly testified against legislation to establish a Washington state cannabis commodity commission, although more individuals signed in support.