Washington State Department of Agriculture
(WSDA)

Some licensees, WSLCB staff, and prevention advocates encouraged lawmakers to pass request legislation on cannabinoid regulation, while other licensees preferred a competing bill.

A majority of speakers favored legislation to create a cannabis commodity commission, but questions remained about costs, goals, and the inclusiveness with which the bill was drafted.

After pushback for not acting earlier, council members formally and unanimously endorsed all of the recommendations of the Washington State Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis.

As the 2022 Washington state legislative session began on Monday, 12 cannabis-related bills had been pre-filed for introduction and 7 would be reintroduced from 2021.

Aside from a WSDA public hearing on seed services, officials continued to pre-file legislation, analyze the governor’s proposed budget, and rest into the holidays.

Events were wrapping up for the holidays, but the transition to CCRS would keep the cannabis sector busier than usual checking lists twice before the shutdown of MJ Freeway on Saturday.

The chair of the cannabis science task force explained the work of the group, including its remaining report, and fielded a question about in-matrix proficiency tests.

The Cannabis Central Reporting System (CCRS) was scheduled for launch on Monday amidst a week of important rulemaking at WSLCB and WSDA.

A law establishing voluntary hemp processor registration and facility certification was signed and rulemaking was underway - but the opening of a new market was said to justify emergency action.

2022 legislative session preparations continue as pre-filing of bills begins on Wednesday, interim actions were wrapped up, and required reports filed.