Washington State Senate Rules Committee
(WA Senate RULE)

After passage of the excise tax study bill and movement of three others to chamber floor calendars, fiscal committees made last minute changes to their agendas for Saturday inclusive of four cannabis bills.

A fiscal committee heard cannabis legislation Thursday, but calendars were becoming cramped ahead of the next legislative gateway on Monday - and several cannabis bills may be left out.

Legislators would don their quantitative hats through Monday to move legislation through fiscal committees - but only three cannabis-related bills had been scheduled for attention.

Having arrived at the first cutoff deadline of the 2024 regular session, several cannabis-related bills had made it through the gateway - but very few were well positioned for the next.

The winnowing of bills through the first cutoff on Wednesday was underway, and some legislation had been greatly revised to continue forward momentum.

The House cannabis policy committee may only meet once more before the first cutoff, out-of-state ownership was moved in the Senate, and the potency tax bill was up for exec.

Legislation to reinforce vigilance over inversion and diversion was advanced, hemp in food was delayed, and legislators may not consider cannabis bills Wednesday until Senate calendaring.

Senators passed the cannabis waste bill and revived out-of-state ownership; new tax bills were coming; the preliminary schedule was published; and 3 hearings were up Thursday morning.

Representatives had too much to chew on from their Tuesday hearings, WSLCB leadership discussed legislative positions, and five bills could potentially be moved in Senate Rules.

Cannabis waste legislation was advanced, another hemp bill may be on the way, the first cannabis-related bills were heard, and two new bills were scheduled for introduction.