Washington State House Commerce and Gaming Committee
(WA House COG)

There’s a new Board Chair at WSLCB, policy committee public hearings on 5 bills plus a prevention work session in the Legislature, and a WSDA webinar on the hemp program.

Seven cannabis-related bills were already through the house of origin cutoff on Tuesday which would mark the halfway point of the 2021 Washington State legislative session.

A substitute version of a bill expanding and revising the duties and membership of the State’s social equity in cannabis task force was narrowly recommended by its policy committee following a 5-4 party-line vote.

In describing HB 1463, legislation that would require dilution of cannabis concentrates and limit access, WSLCB’s lobbyist said the agency wouldn’t support the bill as written but “we want to see if there’s anything we can do to help” going forward.

Sharply divided testimony and at times emotional appeals were presented during a public hearing on legislation to dilute cannabis concentrates and raise the legal purchase age to 25.

3 cannabis-related bills could join 9 others already through Monday’s cutoff deadline, and WSLCB planned to open a rulemaking project to reconsider the criminal history point system.

Legislation which would expand the scope of the state’s cannabis social equity program, assistance grants, and social equity task force received a welcoming policy committee hearing.

Written testimony submitted regarding HB 1019, a bill dealing with adult cannabis cultivation, revealed a large amount of encouraging feedback and a couple of dissenting critiques.

Of 19 bills closely tracked, five were out of committee and seven were scheduled for action this week - including new bills to limit cannabis concentrates and a drug decriminalization bill.

Among many subjects, agency leadership discussed the hiring of a new Director of Enforcement and Education, an interpretive statement on CBD product sales, and the social equity task force.