Washington State Legislature
(WA Legislature)

Legislators were making steady progress on 29 active cannabis-related bills, having heard five on Monday with plans to hear two more on Tuesday along with four executive sessions.

A bill adding restrictions on manufacturing and sales of hemp cannabinoid products was generally well received, but many speakers disagreed with the allowable THC limits.

Hearings on WSLCB THC legislation, cannabis waste, advertising, low dose products, patient arrest protections, local override, home grow, and the fate of concentrates were all scheduled.

Senators heard supportive testimony on a bill addressing retail theft and four new bills were prepared for introduction, including two targeting concentrated cannabis products.

Interstate commerce was moved to the Senate floor, the policy committee in the senate planned to take action, two bills were set for introduction, and next week’s schedule was announced.

Republican representatives were poised to introduce a bill to radically revise the excise tax structure by THC concentration after the public weighed in against taxing patients.

Board members expressed their willingness to support multiple bills for medical cannabis patients and spoke at length about their approach to interacting with the state legislature.

The out-of-state ownership bill was heard, two seasoned bills were set for introduction, and medical cannabis patients would make their case for excise tax exemption in 2023.

Legislators continued to undertake cannabis bills slowly, especially in the senate, but perennial subjects like out-of-state ownership had been positioned for consideration.

On Thursday, representatives heard—and questioned—a WSLCB history of the 502 marketplace as senators prepared executive sessions for two cannabis bills the following week.