Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee
(WA Senate WM)

The cannabis waste bill was passed by the Legislature; the supplemental operating budget was nearing completion; and two cannabis-related bills awaited concurrence votes in the last three days of session.

Senators reduced by half the period of time registered patients would be exempted from a cannabis excise tax under HB 1453, but a large majority again supported the change.

Legislative and budget issues were top-of-mind for the board, but they also discussed an impending rulemaking project related to minors on the premises of producers and processors.

The THC tax study didn’t make it through the Opposite House Fiscal Committee Cutoff gateway, narrowing the list of active cannabis-related bills down to seven as legislators returned to floor sessions.

Senators decided the “high THC” bill was similar enough to a companion to skip a public hearing; all testimony on the bill to exempt patients from cannabis excise taxes was supportive.

One cannabis bill was gathering signatures, another was ready for final passage, three were in rules awaiting calendaring, and three more were scheduled for execs before the Monday cutoff.

All three cannabis bills at risk were scheduled for executive sessions before the fiscal committee cutoff on Monday, although two carried potential amendments which could alter their outcomes.

The first cannabis legislation of the session was passed; two bills in fiscal committees were heard and one was advanced regardless of not being heard; and the “potency tax” study was up for a financial review.

Following the latest cutoff, four more cannabis bills were out of the running leaving eight bills active, four of which would require consideration by fiscal committees before Monday February 26th.

Testimony on cannabis commission legislation showed an industry divided over benefits and costs, plus the committee recommended bills on cannabis waste and THC-based taxation.