The Week Ahead
(December 12, 2022)

WA Legislature - Regular Session - January 9th

Previews of bills to expect during the upcoming Washington State legislative session would likely be shared at events organized by WACA, the Hemp in Food Task Force, and WSLCB.

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

Monday December 12th

WSLCB - Special Board Caucus

On Monday at 9am PT, a Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) Special Board Caucus was scheduled to occur.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • The board occasionally hosts caucus meetings outside of its weekly Tuesday schedule for special events, briefings, or executive sessions. Announced early Sunday morning, the board planned to convene an “Executive Session to discuss legal counsel matters relating to litigation or potential litigation to which the agency is or is likely to become a party.”

Tuesday December 13th

WSLCB - Board Caucus

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

WACA - Legislative Preview Conference - 2022

On Tuesday at 8:30am PT, the Washington CannaBusiness Association (WACA) Legislative Preview Conference for 2022 was scheduled to begin.

  • [ Event Type Details ]
  • Cannabis Observer documents public events and private events where officials are engaged in their official capacities. At publication time, Cannabis Observer was not a member of WACA and was not financially supported by WACA, although many of its members sponsor our work.

WACA - Legislative Preview Conference - 2022 - WSDA Update

On Tuesday at 9:30am PT, representatives from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) were scheduled to present at the WACA Legislative Preview Conference.

WACA - Legislative Preview Conference - 2022 - Keynote

On Tuesday at 11:30am PT, WSLCB Board Member Jim Vollendroff was scheduled to present the lunch keynote at the WACA Legislative Preview Conference.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • At the WACA Spring Meeting, WSLCB Chair David Postman attended in person to provide the opening keynote where he addressed tensions between regulators and licensees, the need to refine cannabis policies, and his wish for the agency to be “a positive force in moving this industry."

WACA - Legislative Preview Conference - 2022 - Legislative Roundtable

On Tuesday at 12:30pm PT, state legislators were scheduled to participate in roundtable discussions with participants at the WACA Legislative Preview Conference.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • At the WACA Spring Meeting, legislators were seated at four tables to interact with WACA members and meeting attendees who honed arguments in support of lower taxes, more advertising, vertical integration, and out of state ownership.
    • The rotating roundtable format offered an opportunity for participants to speak in a small group setting with each legislator in attendance and for legislators to hear directly from cannabis sector representatives.
  • At publication time, the following state legislators were listed as attending on the latest agenda:
    • Chris Gildon, Washington State Senator
    • Karen Keiser, Washington State Senator
    • Curtis King, Washington State Senator
    • Ann Rivers, Washington State Senator
    • Derek Stanford, Washington State Senator
    • Kelly Chambers, Washington State Representative
    • Sam Low, Washington State Representative-elect

WACA - Legislative Preview Conference - 2022 - Policy Issues Roundtable

On Tuesday at 12:30pm PT, WSLCB and potentially other local officials were scheduled to participate in roundtable discussions with participants at the WACA Legislative Preview Conference.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • At the WACA Spring Meeting, conference attendees talked about enforcement practices, licensing changes, the incipient social equity program, and rulemaking challenges with WSLCB leaders in the same rotating roundtable format.
  • At publication time, the following officials were listed as attending on the latest agenda:
    • Susan Harrell, WSLCB Program Specialist
    • Justin Nordhorn, WSLCB Director of Policy and External Affairs
    • Becky Smith, WSLCB Director of Licensing
    • Linda Thompson, WSLCB Licensing Cannabis Manager
    • Chandra Wax, WSLCB Director of Enforcement and Education
    • James McMahan, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Policy Chiefs (WASPC) Policy Director
      • According to the WASPC website, “WASPC is the only association of its kind in the nation combining representatives from local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement into a single body, working toward a common goal…The 1975 legislature made WASPC a legal entity designating the association as ‘combination of units of local government.’”

Wednesday December 14th

WA Hemp in Food Task Force - Meeting

On Wednesday at 1pm PT, the Washington State Hemp in Food Task Force (WA Hemp in Food Task Force) was scheduled to convene.

  • [ Event Details ]
  • The WA Hemp in Food Task Force legislative report was published on December 1st.
  • At the end of the previous meeting of the task force on November 16th, McLain suggested an additional meeting “...to just check-in post-report delivery and do, for at least people that are interested in sticking around on the task force and talking about the legislative component, we’re happy to still host that if you want a meeting in December” (audio - 2m).
    • Throughout the task force proceedings, WSDA staff were unequivocal in asserting they would not put forward agency request legislation on the subjects around hemp cannabinoids in food, beverages, and dietary supplements.
    • However, agency staff hoped to help align potential industry supported legislation to better ensure its viability from their perspective.

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.

Thursday December 15th

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

Friday December 16th

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