Washington State Office of the Governor
(WA Governor)

Governor Inslee signed the biennium operating budget which appropriated cannabis excise tax revenue and other general fund tax dollars among more than a dozen agencies.

Governor Inslee signed a legislative response to a court case which invalidated the state drug possession statute, and lawmakers allotted more than $172 million to address the ruling.

The board chair responded to public comments on incentivizing coronavirus vaccination, the safety of converting hemp distillate into THC, and inaction towards business normalization.

The Washington state Governor was scheduled to take action on the operating budget for the upcoming biennium, endorsing or vetoing fiscal appropriations for many government activities.

Legislation expanding the membership and responsibilities of the social equity task force was signed into law, strengthening an influential movement in the Washington state cannabis sector.

Deliberative work characteristic of the interim between legislative sessions began in earnest this week with social equity, medical marijuana, and behavioral health events on the calendar.

The new WSLCB Chair provided more expansive remarks during a public introduction to Cannabis Advisory Council representatives whose comments varied from friendly to confrontational.

The public had a chance to hear from the new chair before the Board approved the 18th tribal cannabis compact in Washington state and received a rulemaking update.

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.

In the Board’s first planning session since 2018, members looked back on past priorities and prepared to welcome a new board chair who would be appointed in “a few more weeks.”