Washington State Legislature

This will be our final update about 2019 cannabis legislation barring a significant change in either the state’s budget, or the convening of a special legislative session with implications for cannabis. During the 2019 session, Cannabis Observer relied on the bill information pages on the Washington State Legislature’s website to track bill activity. While we … Continued

Here are some observations from the Wednesday May 15th WSLCB Executive Management Team public meeting. My top 3 takeaways: The legislature appropriated $100K to WSLCB to perform and deliver an interim study on a variable cannabis excise tax rate pegged to product potency (audio – 19m). During roundtable discussion, Agency Director Rick Garza brought up … Continued

Here’s a look at the week ahead. TODAY: On Monday May 13th at 3:30pm PT @ the Governor’s Conference Room, five out of six remaining cannabis-related bills are scheduled for signing (bill action notice). HB 1792 – “Concerning criminal penalties applicable to licensed marijuana retailers and employees of marijuana retail outlets.” HB 1794 – “Concerning … Continued

Washington’s regular legislative session adjourned sine die on Sunday April 28th. A special legislative session has not been called by Governor Jay Inslee. Throughout the 2019 session, Cannabis Observer summarized legislative activity on cannabis-related bills including the house of origin, committee report, opposite house, and sine die cutoffs; and executive actions as of last Friday. … Continued

The week is wide open. No public meetings at the WSLCB, the legislature has completed their long session of the biennium, and only six cannabis-related bills remain unsigned on the Governor’s desk. Of the five cannabis-related bills already signed by Governor Jay Inslee, only SB 5276 had an immediate effective date. The hemp bill is … Continued

Washington’s regular legislative session adjourned sine die on Sunday April 28th. A special legislative session is unlikely to be called by Governor Jay Inslee as the budget was passed. Throughout the 2019 session, Cannabis Observer summarized legislative activity on cannabis-related bills including the house of origin, committee report, opposite house, and sine die cutoffs. We’ve … Continued

Hemp production is now “a legal, agricultural activity in this state.” Governor Jay Inslee signed Engrossed Second Substitute SB 5276 (E2SSB 5276) on Friday April 26th and the new law became effective immediately. Here’s a look at the week ahead. TODAY: On Monday at 1:30pm PT @ the Whitman County Courthouse, the Whitman County Commissioners … Continued

Sunday April 28th is the last day of Washington’s regular legislative session, traditionally called Sine Die. The Legislative Information Center’s “Guide to Lawmaking” describes it this way: “Sine Die is a longstanding tradition in the legislature that either occurs when both chambers are completely finished with legislative business or at midnight on the last day … Continued

Here’s a look at the week ahead. MONDAY: This week is it for the regular legislative session. If you’d like, you can review Cannabis Observer’s Friday morning legislative update for information that is largely current as of Monday morning – with exceptions (of course). Here’s one to watch: SB 5605, the bill to vacate misdemeanor … Continued

Wednesday April 17th was the last day to pass bills through the opposite chamber (with exceptions). Eleven cannabis-related bills that passed the session’s house of origin cutoff remain in motion – including one bill Cannabis Observer considered inactive after the committee report cutoff. Here are some observations of the cannabis-related bills which have passed both … Continued