Washington State Department of Health
(DOH)

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.

Members prepared to undertake formal rulemaking at the WSLCB’s first remote board meeting on Wednesday morning and met the agency’s new Policy and Rules Coordinators.

WSLCB Enforcement Chief Justin Nordhorn addressed 22 questions raised by cannabis industry licensees and trade group representatives during an hour-long webinar.

The agency prepared to welcome two new Policy and Rule Coordinators and restart public engagement in rulemaking processes during the following week.

As the Governor’s Proclamations unfurled towards the May 4th expiration of his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, the prospects for renewed cannabis policymaking remained uncertain.

The Governor signed the supplemental operating budget with vetoes totaling $445M in savings which impact funding for three cannabis-related items.

The agency paused the Quality Control Testing rulemaking project, implemented emergency rules allowing deferred excise tax payments, and learned the status of open rulemaking efforts.

Seated alone in compliance with his own social distancing orders, Governor Jay Inslee signed two bills into law which expand WSLCB and DOH cannabis regulatory authorities.

Where does all the cannabis money go? Taxes from cannabis sales were utilized for a multitude of purposes and cannabis-related policymaking was funded by the Legislature.

The SBOH renewed their emergency rule against use of vitamin E acetate in vapor products and expressed concern about prospects for SB 6254, the Governor’s vapor product legislation.