WA Legislature - Update (February 19, 2024)

Operating budget proposals began to take shape as policy committees considered legislation ahead of the Opposite House Policy Committee Cutoff on Wednesday February 21st.

Here are some observations of the Washington State Legislature (WA Legislature) for Monday February 19th, the 43rd day of the 2024 regular session.

My top 3 takeaways:

On Sunday February 18th, Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee (WA Senate WM) Chair June Robinson released her proposed version of the Senate supplemental operating budget ahead of its public hearing on Monday.
- SB 5950 - “Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.”
- Late on Sunday afternoon, staff at the Washington State Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee (WA LEAP Committee) announced that the budget proposal had been published on the WA Fiscal Information website.
  - The bill text of the proposed substitute and the bill analysis show a creation date of Friday February 16th.
- Senators were scheduled to host a news conference on the morning of Monday February 19th at 9:30am to “unveil” the proposal.
- On Monday February 19th at 4pm PT, testimony on the bill would be heard in the WA Senate WM.
  - [ Register Position ]

Washington State House Appropriations Committee (WA House APP) Chair Timm Ormsby remained scheduled to publish his proposed version of the House supplemental operating budget ahead of its public hearing on Monday.
- HB 2104 - “Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.”
- Representatives were scheduled to host a news conference on Monday February 19th at 12pm PT to “roll out” the proposal.
- At publication time, staff at the WA LEAP Committee had not published the budget proposal on the WA Fiscal Information website.
- On Monday February 19th, testimony on the bill would be heard in the WA House APP.
  - [ Register Position ]

On Monday, four committees were scheduled to convene to consider eight cannabis-related bills including patient excise tax exemptions, Ag lab accreditation, both “high THC” bills, a commission framework, and cannabis waste.
- 10:30am: Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
  - Public Hearing
    - HB 1453 - “Providing a tax exemption for medical cannabis patients.”
      - [ Register Position ]
    - HB 2151 - “Reassigning the accreditation of private cannabis testing laboratories from the department of ecology to the department of agriculture.”
      - [ Register Position ]
  - Executive Session
    - HB 1453 - “Providing a tax exemption for medical cannabis patients.”
    - HB 2320 - “Concerning high THC cannabis products.”
      - Committee members heard, amended, and recommended SB 6220, the Senate companion to HB 2320, but that legislation was not subsequently advanced by the Senate fiscal committee. On Monday, committee members appeared poised to advance the substantially and differentially revised House version of the legislation without hosting a public hearing on the bill.
        
        It’s Cannabis Observer’s understanding that the sponsor of HB 2320, Representative Lauren Davis, agreed to amend her bill under the condition that it would not be further modified prior to passage.
      - On Saturday February 17th, Senator Drew Hansen published a striking amendment to HB 2320 which was described as having the following effects:
        
        “Legislative intent is provided regarding funding to be provided to the Department of Health (DOH) to allow DOH to issue requests for proposals and contract for targeted public health messages and social marketing campaigns directed toward individuals most likely to suffer negative impacts of high THC products including persons under 25 years of age, persons reporting poor mental health, and persons living with mental health challenges.
        
        “Provides that the UW Addictions, Drug, and Alcohol Institute, rather than the Health Care Authority, must develop guidance and health interventions for health care providers and patients at risk for developing serious complications due to cannabis consumption seeking care in certain settings.”
- 1:30pm: Washington State House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee (WA House RSG) - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
  - Public Hearing
    - SB 5546 - “Establishing a Washington state cannabis commission.”
      - [ Register Position ]
  - Executive Session
    - SB 5376 - “Allowing the sale of cannabis waste.”
      - In addition to the previously published amendment concerning giveaways of cannabis waste under certain conditions, an additional amendment was published which was described as having the following effects:
        
        “Requires licensed cannabis producers and processors to comply with the following requirements to sell any cannabis waste:
        
        “Include information in the notice provided to the Liquor and Cannabis board and Department of Agriculture about the quantity and sale price of the cannabis waste and the name of the entity that acquired the cannabis waste; and
        
        “Make all sales of cannabis waste available to the public on an equal and nondiscriminatory basis.”
    - SB 6271 - “Modifying the cannabis excise tax to consider THC concentration.”
- 4pm: WA House APP - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
  - Public Hearing
    - HB 2104 - “Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.”
      - [ Register Position ]
- 4pm: WA Senate WM - Committee Meeting [ Event Details ]
  - Public Hearing
    - SB 5950 - “Making 2023-2025 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.”
      - [ Register Position ]