The Washington State Senate Labor and Commerce Committee (WA Senate LC) considers issues relating to labor issues, including unemployment insurance, industrial insurance/workers’ compensation, prevailing wage, collective bargaining, worker rights and benefits, and the Washington Cares Act. The committee also considers commerce issues, including the regulation of certain professions and businesses, and alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis.
Feedback on a bill to legalize out-of-state cannabis license ownership was divided: some companies anticipated benefits while others viewed the move as only helping larger entities.
After granting themselves additional time before the house of origin policy committee cutoff on Friday, legislators still had lots of work to do - and many cannabis bills would be left behind.
Senators heard mixed testimony after mixing the hearings on two very different bills, home grow encountered a hitch in the House, and the WRAP Act would be unwrapped in Appropriations.
Senators advanced two cannabis bills, schedules for the following week were published, a new bill would be introduced, and legislators would convene on Thursday for hearings and action.
Representatives heard the WSLCB THC bill, a technical corrections bill was readied for the opposite house, and a senate floor session and rules meeting were scheduled for Wednesday.
A labor bill was unevenly received, modification of the cannabis excise tax seemed more likely without prohibitionist garnishment, and social equity would be introduced in the House.
Proponents of a 2022 Seattle law on cannabis worker retention policies backed legislation expanding the mandate, but business associations warned against singling out one industry.
Of 31 active cannabis-related bills, nine were scheduled for activity during the fourth week of the regular session of the Washington State Legislature - two weeks before the first cutoff.
Six cannabis bills were up for initial hearings or executive action on Thursday morning and the committee schedule for the following week was published listing activity on eight cannabis bills.
Legislators moved four bills forward and heard two more, cannabis packaging changes may be delegated to WSLCB, and a substantial new labor bill was prepared for introduction.
