Washington State Legislature
(WA Legislature)

Legislation to proscribe pre-employment screening for cannabis use was passed in the House as officials and staff in both chambers worked to revise and pass their respective operating budget bills.

All 14 remaining cannabis-related bills made it through the opposite house policy committee gateway as sequencing of legislation by rules and fiscal committees became more crucial.

Three of four lingering cannabis bills were recommended through the upcoming cutoff gateway as initial revisions to biennium operating budgets consumed legislator attention.

14 cannabis-related bills remained active ahead of the opposite house policy committee cutoff on Wednesday including four which had executive sessions rescheduled for amendment work.

Interstate commerce was recommended out of committee, no action was taken on the commission bill, and the public received a first look at the Senate operating budget proposal.

Time was running out for five remaining cannabis bills which had been heard but not moved by their policy committees - but all five had executive sessions scheduled ahead of the next cutoff.

All 14 clearly active cannabis bills had been heard by opposite house policy committees, but six still awaited movement after two executive sessions were delayed to allow time for amendment.

After a busy start of the week, legislators planned to address nearly as many bills on Tuesday including the continuation of two incomplete public hearings left open on Monday.

During the last full week before the opposite house policy committee cutoff on Wednesday March 29th, legislators would consider all 14 cannabis-related bills that remained clearly active.

Legislators asked for additional information during testimony on a bill to expand the social equity program before an unscheduled WSLCB panel joined the hearing to field questions.