Washington State Legislature
(WA Legislature)

Reporting touched on why Licensing staff were “hands off” in the new phase of social equity applications, relocating producers over environmental pesticide concerns, and other updates.

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.

Starting in 2024, Washington job seekers will no longer be discriminated against due to the presence of non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites during most pre-employment drug testing.

Legislation expanding arrest projections for medical cannabis patients reflected the diligence of an advocate who had been pushing for various reforms on medical policies for several years.

The Governor has called for a special session of the Washington State Legislature, and Cannabis Observer will be there to increase transparency and accountability with your support.

The Governor approved a bill to allow interstate cannabis agreements if the practice became permitted by federal government action - and legislation had been introduced in Congress to do just that.

Researchers ran through various efforts to regulate cannabis concentrates which had been supported by some stakeholders before taking questions on how to influence legislators and the public.

The Washington State Legislature adjourned sine die on Sunday, but failed to pass “a Blake fix bill” which would likely prompt the calling of a 30-day special session sometime before June 1st.

The final day of the 2023 regular session would almost certainly include acceptance of the operating budget - but passage of the Blake response bill seemed more complicated.

The biennium operating budget as revised by fiscal committee leadership from both chambers would be published on Saturday at noon, the second to last day of the 2023 regular session.