OpenTHC

The board voted to open rulemaking to implement social equity program changes and then heard public remarks related to the grant programs and transparency of the equity process.

After a brief rulemaking update, staff detailed a revised process for reviewing petitions before presenting a batch tracking request, then heard supportive and accusatory public remarks.

WSLCB board members were scheduled to consider a comparatively obscured rulemaking petition on “batch tracking” during a busy fall week for cannabis policymaking.

After an update on social equity license applicants, board members heard encouragement, criticism, and questions about the program, among other comments, from the public.

Public commenters called for greater accountability over the social equity program third-party vendor, the board’s reasoning in hiring a new director, and an update on CANNRA meetings.

Rulemaking to implement alcohol legislation included a cannabis-related bill; public commenters gave input on cannabis traceability and called for more updates about environmental pesticides.

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Board members denied a petition on use of customer ID data, rescinded an interim traceability policy, and heard public comments about the promised social equity retail program.