Black Excellence in Cannabis
(BEC)

Legislation to permit out-of-state ownership and suspend inactive producers received mostly supportive testimony, with opposition centered on equity implications from the change.

A bill to open Washington cannabis businesses to interstate commerce under certain conditions drew unified support from the sector, but opposition from advocates who prioritized social equity.

Most speakers welcomed WSLCB request legislation expanding the social equity program, though several testifying wanted to see changes to avoid “oversaturation” of the retail market.

Comments on a bill to ban pre-employment cannabis testing for many businesses got supportive testimony from the cannabis sector, labor interests, and police, with some business voices dissenting.

The longtime Director of WSLCB planned to step down, CCRS 2.0 was on track to go live, and public comments touched on equity, traceability, transparency, and the cannabis economy.

Staff said goodbye to two retiring division heads and heard several critical public comments before the chair gave a lengthy defense of the agency's continued work on social equity.

Agency leaders met the new Director of Legislative Relations then heard reports on their legislative agenda, social equity, medical endorsements, hiring, work groups, and CCRS.

Board members denied a petition on use of customer ID data, rescinded an interim traceability policy, and heard public comments about the promised social equity retail program.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at WSLCB were discussed along with the budding social equity program, related community engagement efforts, and request legislation for 2023.

Just as social equity rulemaking at WSLCB was concluded, a report alleging abusive behavior by a former task force leader reinvigorated lingering public skepticism over agency progress.