Washington State Department of Agriculture
(WSDA)

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

Representatives passed the WSDA lab accreditation bill and senators positioned the cannabis commission legislation for action among six bills still at risk before the House of Origin Cutoff at 5pm.

Three cannabis bills were passed by their chambers of origin, two were calendared, and hearings on two were scheduled as representatives recovering from a 15 hour work day prepared for another on Saturday.

Concern about removal of WSLCB authority to destroy failed cannabis samples led members to restore a similar mandate before recommending a bill to assign lab accreditation to WSDA.

The WSDA accreditation bill was advanced and two versions of the “high THC cannabis products” legislation were prepared for executive sessions on Monday ahead of the next legislative deadline.

After passage of the excise tax study bill and movement of three others to chamber floor calendars, fiscal committees made last minute changes to their agendas for Saturday inclusive of four cannabis bills.

A fiscal committee heard cannabis legislation Thursday, but calendars were becoming cramped ahead of the next legislative gateway on Monday - and several cannabis bills may be left out.

The board heard an in-depth update on the social equity program then voted on two petitions, accepting one on heavy metals testing and denying one related to multi-license production facilities.

Attention was fixed on the first cutoff of the regular session of the Washington State Legislature as WSLCB board members planned to consider two petitions for rulemaking.

Four cannabis-related bills were up for action Monday ahead of the first policy committee deadline Wednesday as legislators geared up for the sprint to house of origin cutoff.