The Week Ahead
(April 11, 2022)

WSLCB - Social Equity Program

Proposed rules for the WSLCB social equity program also included “readability” edits throughout the WAC, and agency staff were scheduled to follow up after the Cannabis Retail Safety Forum.

Here’s a look at cannabis-related policymaking events on the calendar in the week ahead.

Monday April 11th

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

Tuesday April 12th

WSLCB - Board Caucus

On Tuesday at 10am PT, the weekly Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Board Caucus was scheduled to recur.

Wednesday April 13th

WSLCB - Board Meeting

On Wednesday at 10am PT, the bi-weekly WSLCB Board Meeting was scheduled to recur.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • At Wednesday’s meeting, board members were scheduled to approve the filing of the CR-102 containing proposed rules for the Social Equity rulemaking project.
    • On March 23rd, agency staff hosted a lengthy Listen and Learn Forum on draft conceptual rules related to the project which described a potential new section in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC), 314-55-570 (“Social equity in cannabis program”).
      • In earlier public statements about the effort begun in October 2021, Policy and Rules Manager Kathy Hoffman indicated edits would include structural, “non-substantive” changes around licensing “to increase readability.” The draft conceptual rules ran to 12 double-spaced pages in length, but only described the social equity program itself. The proposed rules include many additional edits, running to 23 single-spaced pages in length, only four of which define the social equity program.
      • An automated analysis of differences between WAC 314-55-570 in the draft conceptual rules and the proposed rules indicated several changes were made to incorporate feedback heard during the listen and learn forum.
    • The CR-102 memorandum was also unusually long at 53 pages, including many attachments detailing agency communications with the public, legislators, the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs (WA CAAA), and the Washington State Legislative Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis (WA SECTF) on the subject.
    • WSLCB staff previously stated the public hearing on the proposed rules would occur on May 11th.
  • The agenda for Wednesday’s board meeting also included time for two staff updates related to cannabis retail robberies.
    • Chief Financial Officer Jim Morgan was scheduled to provide an update on “Cashless Payment Systems.”
    • Enforcement and Education Director Chandra Brady was scheduled to provide an update on “Cannabis Retail Security.”

WSLCB - Executive Management Team

On Wednesday at 1:30pm PT, the three-member Board and agency leadership were scheduled to convene their monthly WSLCB Executive Management Team (EMT) meeting.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • The March EMT meeting was rescheduled, and then cancelled.
  • During the Cannabis Retail Safety Forum hosted during the board caucus on March 29th, Board Member Ollie Garrett advised having the board and staff talk through the subject at the next EMT meeting to discuss what could be done to help without putting more expenses on small businesses.

Thursday April 14th

WA SECTF - Work Group - Community Reinvestment - Public Meeting

On Thursday at a time to be determined, the Washington State Legislative Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis Community Reinvestment and Workforce Training Work Group (WA SECTF - Work Group - Community Reinvestment) was scheduled to convene.

Friday April 15th

At publication time, no cannabis-related policymaking events were scheduled.

2022 WA Legislative Session

The short session of the 2021-22 biennium began on January 10th and ended on March 10th.

  • Inactive cannabis-related bills from 2021 were renewed in their house of origin and the House and Senate convened public hearings during the first three weeks of the short session.
  • February 3rd was the first deadline for bills to be recommended out of their house of origin policy committees, followed shortly by a second deadline on February 7th for house of origin fiscal committees to complete their initial work. Legislators and staff heard, amended, and pushed legislation through in advance of the third deadline for (most!) bills to be passed out of their chamber of origin on February 15th at 5pm PT.
  • At the turning point, policy committees took up remaining bills ahead of the February 24th opposite house policy committee cutoff. Fiscal committees began to work budgets before having to move bills over the weekend in advance of the Monday February 28th opposite house fiscal committee cutoff. And Friday March 4th at 5pm PT occasioned the sixth deadline for (most!) bills to be passed by the opposite chamber.
  • In the final week of the short session, legislators devoted the majority of their time to floor debate and negotiation between the chambers. However, some time was spent in last-minute committee hearings and executive sessions to move bills. Sine die, the last day of session, occurred on Thursday March 10th.
  • Washington State Governor Jay Inslee took formal action on very few bills during the session. For legislation received by his office within five days of the end of session, he could sign or partially veto it before it became law, or veto it altogether, within 20 days following the end of session.

Cannabis-Related Law (3)

HB 1210 - “Replacing the term ‘marijuana’ with the term ‘cannabis’ throughout the Revised Code of Washington.”

  • [ Legislation ]
  • 🌱⚖️ ‘marijuana’ to ‘cannabis’
  • Sponsors (14): Melanie Morgan, et al
  • Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 7)
  • Last Step: signed by WA Governor (Mar 11)
  • Effective: June 9, 2022; except sections 7, 51, and 116, which take effect July 1, 2022; and additional sections with later effective dates

HB 1859 - “Concerning quality standards for laboratories conducting cannabis analysis.”

  • [ Legislation ]
  • 🔬 Cannabis Testing Labs; WSDA/WSLCB request legislation to shift regulation of labs to the department of agriculture; creation of Interagency Coordination Team (ICT) w/ department of health (DOH)
  • Requested By: WSDA, WSLCB
  • Sponsors (4): Shelley Kloba, Kelly Chambers, et al
  • Companion: SB 5699 (inactive)
  • Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 10)
  • Last Step: bill action by WA Governor (Mar 24)
  • Effective: June 9, 2022

SB 5796 - “Restructuring cannabis revenue appropriations.”

  • [ Legislation ]
  • 💸 Revision of Cannabis Tax Revenue Appropriations; where the money goes
  • Sponsors (5): Rebecca Saldaña, et al
  • Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 11)
  • Last Step: bill action by WA Governor (Mar 24)
  • Effective: June 9, 2022

Budget-Related Law (1)

SB 5693 - “Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.”

  • [ Legislation ]
  • 💸 Operating Budget Changes; where the money goes
  • Sponsors (3): Christine Rolfes, Linda Wilson, et al
  • Companion: HB 1816 (divergent)
  • Previous Step: delivered to WA Governor (Mar 11)
  • Last Step: bill action by WA Governor (Mar 31)
  • Effective: June 9, 2022