Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
(WSLCB)

WSLCB was scheduled to host a caucus and board meeting - but both would likely be remote even though the Governor authorized limited in-person public meetings for phase 3 counties.

The Chelan County hemp moratorium was back, the Cannabis Science Task Force was prepared to convene, and WSLCB might be ready to speak with software integrators again.

Council members adopted a resolution to reserve the City’s remaining two cannabis retail licenses for “social equity applicants” and ask the State for eight additional retail licenses.

The Board carried out planned rulemaking actions, learned the true party of interest rulemaking project may be further delayed, and honored the resignation of their long-time policy researcher.

Besides the WSLCB Board Meeting, the Washington State Commission on African Affairs planned to convene and Chelan County Commissioners would consider a hemp moratorium.

The Board signed a cannabis compact with another tribal nation, surveyed events for the remainder of the year, and received notable new information during a rulemaking update.

WSLCB Director Rick Garza and Policy and Rules Manager Kathy Hoffman signed into the Alliance’s monthly webinar for 45 minutes to provide an update and answer member questions.

Director Rick Garza reported some WSLCB staff experienced a "little bit of a hiccup” when undertaking implicit bias training provided by the agency.

In response to diminished transparency at WSLCB, Cannabis Observer began to obtain records about internal policy-related meetings where decision making continued during the pandemic.

The WSLCB hosted a public hearing on proposed cannabis product safety rules, opened two new rulemaking projects, and heard the most public comments since the start of the pandemic.