Washington State House Appropriations Committee
(WA House APP)

Co-sponsors flocked to new legislation, WSLCB leadership discussed two active bills, a new high-THC bill was readied, and committee schedules for the following week were published.

Cannabis waste legislation was advanced, another hemp bill may be on the way, the first cannabis-related bills were heard, and two new bills were scheduled for introduction.

The published calendar for the first week of the 2024 regular session appeared relatively light on cannabis-related activity, but schedules can change quickly and regulatory activity continued.

Two new cannabis bills were pre-filed Friday, two existing bills were pushed back in the process, and the draft cutoff calendar was published ahead of the start of the regular session on Monday.

As legislators made final preparations for the 2024 session starting on Monday, policy and budget bills had been pre-filed and committee schedules were being shaped.

WSLCB staff planned to accept comments on potential agency request legislation through the week which would end with a March for Homegrow in downtown Seattle.

The operating budget that reached Governor Jay Inslee featured more than a dozen state agencies which received cannabis revenue, or were budgeted for activities related to the plant.

A bill regulating products containing THC was signed, granting new authority and rulemaking mandates for WSLCB - though fewer hemp licensees may be another result of the law.

With broad effects on definitions, timelines, portability, and the number of cannabis licenses in the social equity program, the Governor called passage of SB 5080 “a really important deal.”

Six cannabis bills had been passed by the Legislature including the far reaching THC legislation, leaving only one clearly active cannabis bill in dispute in the House.