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.
A WSLCB staffer talked about retail ownership constraints as well as the social equity program before lawmakers raised general observations and specific questions.
Three cannabis-related bills were scheduled to be heard and four executive sessions were planned for the week which would include cancellations of most regular WSLCB meetings.
Three cannabis-related bills had execs pulled, a social consumption event bill was staged for introduction, and Monday senators would hear about indirect retail ownership agreements and local zoning restrictions.
WSLCB data dashboard and patient data access bills were advanced before the preliminary schedule for next week was published detailing action on eight cannabis bills and two work sessions of interest.
Senators heard an hour of largely supportive testimony on producer direct sales on Monday and representatives planned to host public hearings on three cannabis-related bills on Tuesday.
A supermajority of the 23 people who testified supported legislation to allow direct sale of cannabis flower by producers, although questions were raised about market impacts.
Among 15 cannabis-related bills introduced, limited direct sales legislation was up for an initial public hearing in the Senate on Monday, the first cannabis bill to be considered in that chamber in 2025.
Bills introduced Thursday accrued co-sponsors, a scheduling shakeup was observed, and Friday offered an opportunity to learn how the Consumer Protection Act may be applicable in the cannabis sector.
Legislators advanced production unions in the House but deferred a production authority transfer before the schedule for the following week and details on four new cannabis-related bills were published.
