The Washington State Office of Equity (WA Equity) was created in 2020 to "change the way government develops and implements its policies, practices, and processes (systems change)." Its mission is to "Promote equitable access to opportunities, power, and resources across government that reduce disparities and improve outcomes statewide." Originally envisioned through the Washington State Office of Equity Task Force convened in late 2019, HB 1783 (“Creating the Washington state office of equity”) was signed into law in April 2020. Funding for the Office was initially cut by the Governor as the pandemic took hold and the office was subsequently funded during the 2021 legislative session.
Washington State Office of Equity
(WA Equity)
Public
Structural Relationships
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Washington State Office of the Governor
(WA Governor) -
Washington State Office of Equity
(WA Equity)
Information Set
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Handout - Who is the Office of Equity? - v1 (Sep 4, 2024) [ Info ]
Observations
WA House APP - Committee Meeting
(February 7, 2022) - HB 2022 - Executive Session
After the failure of several minority caucus amendments on the social equity bill, some members raised doubts about increasing cannabis licensure leading to narrow passage out of committee.
WA House COG - Committee Meeting
(January 28, 2022) - HB 2022 - Public Hearing
A hearing on social equity legislation provoked largely favorable testimony, peppered with repeated questions and comments about proposed buffer zones changes for retailers.
WA SECTF - Public Meeting
(January 24, 2022) - Summary
New task force members were welcomed, followed by a review of recommendations already made and those still needed, then a vote to continue one work group and start up three others.
WA Governor Council on Health Disparities - Public Meeting
(January 3, 2022) - WA SECTF Recommendations
- USA - Washington
- Washington State Governor's Interagency Council on Health Disparities (WA Governor Council on Health Disparities)
After pushback for not acting earlier, council members formally and unanimously endorsed all of the recommendations of the Washington State Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis.
The Week Ahead
(August 30, 2021)
- USA - Washington
- Washington State Governor's Interagency Council on Health Disparities (WA Governor Council on Health Disparities)
The Governor’s Council on Health Disparities planned to convene for the first time since December 2020 as policymaker attention began focusing on the 2022 legislative session.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(July 14, 2021) - Summary
Staff discussed upcoming meetings with officials, a presentation to lawmakers on synthesized cannabinoids, progress on social equity, and a new proposal on federal cannabis legalization.
The Week Ahead
(July 12, 2021)
Dialogues about addressing social and economic equity within and through the cannabis sector continued - in some ways removed from current challenges undermining industry diversity.
WA Governor - Bill Action
(May 18, 2021) - SB 5092
Governor Inslee signed the biennium operating budget which appropriated cannabis excise tax revenue and other general fund tax dollars among more than a dozen agencies.
WSLCB - Executive Management Team
(May 12, 2021) - Odds and Ends
A mixed bag of topics included: a new CIO, hiring a DEI Manager, presentations for officials outside Washington, online licensing applications, and “pending” producer/processor licenses.
WA House APP - Committee Meeting
(February 19, 2021) - HB 1443 - Public Hearing
Legislative staff briefed on a bill to modify the cannabis social equity task force which drew a question on the need for an emergency clause, received some sign in support, but broached no public testimony.