WA House - Session - Afternoon
(April 6, 2021) - SB 5372 - Second and Third Reading

2020 Hemp Acreage Estimate

With no proposed amendments to legislation forming a hemp processor registry and hemp extract certification, lawmakers offered a final pitch on the bill’s benefits for the hemp sector, securing not quite unanimous approval.

Here are some observations from the Tuesday April 6th Washington State House of Representatives (WA House) afternoon session.

My top 2 takeaways:

  • A few final remarks were offered on the bill before it was passed by the WA House with only one representative from each party opposing the bill’s delivery to the Governor.
    • Lovick asked for consent to consider the second reading as the third and final reading and heard no objection. He then opened the floor to remarks on SB 5372 (audio - <1m, video).
    • Representative Shelley Kloba told her colleagues that those who had “been watching the activities that we’ve been doing here...will have noticed that there are several themes that a lot of the bills, kind of, coalesce around.” She said one such theme was “helping our Washington businesses revive and thrive in this really difficult economic climate.” Kloba observed that SB 5372 was such a bill as it would “open new markets to our hemp growers and processors” by creating a “new definition for hemp processor, it creates a hemp processor registration,” and it “creates a voluntary hemp extract certification.” The “three small changes” in the bill would help Washington hemp companies “access new markets in other” countries and states, Kloba said in a closing call for support (audio - 2m, video).
    • Assistant Minority Floor Leader Drew MacEwen seconded Kloba’s remarks, saying “it will also help us with our interstate commerce for our hemp producers, this is a good bill.” He said the bill continued a series of changes expanding hemp agriculture, adding “another segment to our economy” (audio - 1m, video).
    • Lovick instructed staff to begin a roll call vote on SB 5372 which resulted in “96 yeas, two nays, zero excused” (audio - 1m, video). The members who opposed passage were:
    • Lovick said SB 5372 received a constitutional majority and was “declared passed” by the WA House. As the bill had not been changed since passage by the Senate, it would be signed by:
    • The bill would then be delivered to Governor Jay Inslee as ‘enrolled legislation’ he can sign, veto, or partially veto before it becomes law. Since the bill was passed more than five days before adjournment of the session, once delivered to his office Inslee has five days to act on a bill. If no action is taken, the bill automatically becomes law. As no effective date was declared in the bill text, the law would become effective 90 days after the end of session. WSDA was anticipated to undertake substantial rulemaking to implement the bill should it become law.

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