Washington State Department of Agriculture
(WSDA)

Legislation to proscribe pre-employment screening for cannabis use was passed in the House as officials and staff in both chambers worked to revise and pass their respective operating budget bills.

Delays at another agency were presented as cause for extending the social equity licensing application window before a short legislative update and a lengthy conversation about two rulemaking petitions.

Committee members heard testimony in favor, opposed, and ‘other’ while seeking suggestions on THC levels for hemp products after the Senate decided any amount of THC was too much. 

Representatives got an earful about the WSLCB THC bill on Monday, and planned to take up social equity and pre-employment cannabis testing legislation on Tuesday.

At the first work group meeting, members introduced themselves and heard agency leaders’ intentions to gather input on the effectiveness of 2022 cannabis testing changes.

Within its fiscal committee, testimony on a cannabinoid regulation bill championed by WSLCB was divided, there were THC threshold concerns, but also claims the bill helped cannabis tax revenue.

The sponsor made reasoned arguments for producer-led cannabis research, but industry members were divided over whether the time was right for a cannabis commodity commission.

CANNRA conference participants shared feedback from panels on markets, legal issues, inspections, and social consumption before discussing leadership opportunities in the group.

With a review of scientific literature contracted, task force members detailed remaining concerns and discussed approaches to lobbying for draft legislation on hemp cannabinoids in food.

Several task force members helped develop the scope of a third-party contract to review scientific literature and contemplated a legislative strategy for pursuit in 2023.