Washington State Department of Commerce
(WA Commerce)

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.

Members modified the process for local authorities to object to license applications and made technical corrections before approving a bill to expand the social equity in cannabis program.

Legislators asked for additional information during testimony on a bill to expand the social equity program before an unscheduled WSLCB panel joined the hearing to field questions.

Leaders touched on several bills concerning cannabinoid regulation and “inactive” producer licenses in addition to a favorable court ruling and social equity program updates.

A WA SECTF panel provided the committee an explanation of how they reached their final recommendations for social equity in cannabis before describing them and taking questions.