Washington State House Appropriations Committee
(WA House APP)

The supplemental operating budget’s final form would be released Wednesday morning as time ran short for the two remaining cannabis-related bills awaiting concurrence votes ahead of sine die on Thursday.

Senators made changes to data gathering requirements in a bill regulating “high THC” products before almost unanimously passing the measure and returning it to the House for concurrence.

Legislative and budget issues were top-of-mind for the board, but they also discussed an impending rulemaking project related to minors on the premises of producers and processors.

The THC tax study didn’t make it through the Opposite House Fiscal Committee Cutoff gateway, narrowing the list of active cannabis-related bills down to seven as legislators returned to floor sessions.

One cannabis bill was gathering signatures, another was ready for final passage, three were in rules awaiting calendaring, and three more were scheduled for execs before the Monday cutoff.

All three cannabis bills at risk were scheduled for executive sessions before the fiscal committee cutoff on Monday, although two carried potential amendments which could alter their outcomes.

The first cannabis legislation of the session was passed; two bills in fiscal committees were heard and one was advanced regardless of not being heard; and the “potency tax” study was up for a financial review.

Following the latest cutoff, four more cannabis bills were out of the running leaving eight bills active, four of which would require consideration by fiscal committees before Monday February 26th.

Testimony on cannabis commission legislation showed an industry divided over benefits and costs, plus the committee recommended bills on cannabis waste and THC-based taxation.

Lawmakers rushed to recommend legislation ahead of the cutoff on Wednesday while amending budgets and preparing for fiscal committee work, but four cannabis-related bills would likely not be moved in time.