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

Three of four lingering cannabis bills were recommended through the upcoming cutoff gateway as initial revisions to biennium operating budgets consumed legislator attention.

14 cannabis-related bills remained active ahead of the opposite house policy committee cutoff on Wednesday including four which had executive sessions rescheduled for amendment work.

Interstate commerce was recommended out of committee, no action was taken on the commission bill, and the public received a first look at the Senate operating budget proposal.

Time was running out for five remaining cannabis bills which had been heard but not moved by their policy committees - but all five had executive sessions scheduled ahead of the next cutoff.

During the last full week before the opposite house policy committee cutoff on Wednesday March 29th, legislators would consider all 14 cannabis-related bills that remained clearly active.

After renewing focus in policy committees, legislators announced plans to address the majority of active cannabis legislation the following week and begin work on the operating budget.

Committee members heard testimony in favor, opposed, and ‘other’ while seeking suggestions on THC levels for hemp products after the Senate decided any amount of THC was too much. 

Three policy committees heard cannabis related bills, hosted a work session on the 20 year study of I-502, and began confirming gubernatorial appointments of WSLCB board members.

Senators amended and passed legislation to create a framework for establishing a Washington State Cannabis Commission hours before the house of origin gateway was closed.

Three cannabis bills made it through the house of origin gateway in the final hours on Wednesday as legislators returned to policy committee work for the following three weeks.