Washington State Department of Commerce
(WA Commerce)

Staff shared rulemaking progress including upcoming outreach events, a new petition on cannabis testing results, and a timeline for implementing social equity legislation.

Board members delved into survey responses detailing selected social equity applicant demographics, then themes and possible improvements from their own staff focus groups.

The board approved the start of a rulemaking project on retail medical endorsements, heard a status report on social equity applicants, and impressions of an ongoing prevention summit.

Legislators would hear about a study into “whether current levels of cannabis production align with market demand and capacity” before a WSLCB work group discussed cannabis education.

After an update on social equity license applicants, board members heard encouragement, criticism, and questions about the program, among other comments, from the public.

The board heard about implementation of legislation and possible request bills; social equity applications; lab authority transfer; plus updates on medical endorsements and hiring.

An environmental pesticide briefing laid out previous and ongoing actions by WSLCB, board members denied a petition related to the topic, and public commenters raised various concerns.

The operating budget that reached Governor Jay Inslee featured more than a dozen state agencies which received cannabis revenue, or were budgeted for activities related to the plant.

Reporting touched on why Licensing staff were “hands off” in the new phase of social equity applications, relocating producers over environmental pesticide concerns, and other updates.

Delays at another agency were presented as cause for extending the social equity licensing application window before a short legislative update and a lengthy conversation about two rulemaking petitions.