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

Lawmakers rushed to recommend legislation ahead of the cutoff on Wednesday while amending budgets and preparing for fiscal committee work, but four cannabis-related bills would likely not be moved in time.

Lawmakers heard bills on a tax exemption for registered medical patients and transferring lab accreditation, passing the former, then amended and recommended a THC bill without a public hearing.

After undertaking significant activity on cannabis-related bills on Monday, lawmakers lined up executive sessions on a few more bills before the final policy committee deadline on Wednesday.

11 cannabis-related bills remained subject to the next cutoff on Wednesday but the WSLCB data dashboard bill and inversion/diversion legislation were particularly poorly positioned.

Operating budget proposals began to take shape as policy committees considered legislation ahead of the Opposite House Policy Committee Cutoff on Wednesday February 21st.

After hearing two cannabis bills on Wednesday, lawmakers had increasingly busy calendars on Thursday and through the following mid-week to meet the next policy committee deadline.

A bill from 2023 pertaining to uses of cannabis waste without THC was brought to the Senate floor and passed overwhelmingly following brief remarks from the sponsor.

As senators looked at approaches to reduce use of “high THC” cannabis—especially by young adults—they mandated WSLCB data collection and recommendations on THC-based taxation.

Halfway through the 60-day regular session and after the seeming demise of nine cannabis-related bills, legislators entered their chambers given one week to move legislation before the House of Origin Cutoff.

Lawmakers heard similar testimony during the fiscal considerations of a high THC regulation bill as was given in the policy hearing and later decided not to move the measure.