Washington State Office of the Governor
(WA Governor)

The WSLCB scheduled a Special Board Meeting for Monday afternoon to authorize and delegate summary license suspensions for enforcement of the Governor’s proclamations.

The Governor signed HB 2870, WSLCB’s request legislation establishing a social equity program, competitive grants, and a task force to help open a new cycle of retail licensure.

The agency paused the Quality Control Testing rulemaking project, implemented emergency rules allowing deferred excise tax payments, and learned the status of open rulemaking efforts.

Seated alone in compliance with his own social distancing orders, Governor Jay Inslee signed two bills into law which expand WSLCB and DOH cannabis regulatory authorities.

With the close of the legislative session and restrictions on public movement tightening against the spread of COVID-19, cannabis policymaking appeared set to slow if not pause altogether.

The SBOH renewed their emergency rule against use of vitamin E acetate in vapor products and expressed concern about prospects for SB 6254, the Governor’s vapor product legislation.

The Senate fiscal committee passed HB 2826, WSLCB’s cannabis vapor products bill, as well as SB 6254, DOH’s vapor products bill which had been repeatedly brought “back to life.”

Agency leadership heard a briefing on cannabis-related legislation still active and otherwise, including both agency requests and bills introduced by other stakeholders.

New details on the WSLCB’s legislative agenda, a Regulators Roundtable redux, plus an update on testing labs, the traceability contract, and the Hillard Heintze report.

On Tuesday at 1:30pm PT @ WSLCB, the agency planned to convene the Cannabis Advisory Council for its third meeting in 2019.