Washington State Legislature
(WA Legislature)

The operating budget that reached Governor Jay Inslee featured more than a dozen state agencies which received cannabis revenue, or were budgeted for activities related to the plant.

Several stakeholders introduced themselves and started to network around increasing the capacity of the state to produce and process hemp into construction materials.

With the end of their legislative mandate weeks away, members searched for a path forward to advise on regulation of hemp consumables after a THC regulatory bill was signed into law.

The capital budget included $5M for soil cleanup added late in the process in order to help agricultural sectors—including cannabis licensees—in north central Washington.

Legislators struck and passed pre-negotiated legislation reframing the relation of the criminal justice and behavioral health systems to substance use issues which the Governor signed the same day.

The Governor provided insights about the revised “Blake fix” ahead of its release on Monday afternoon, prior to the convening of the first special session of the 68th Legislature.

As finishing touches were made to wrap up 2023 regular session legislation, lawmakers would reconvene in special session to redress the State v. Blake decision and consequences.

Reporting touched on why Licensing staff were “hands off” in the new phase of social equity applications, relocating producers over environmental pesticide concerns, and other updates.

A bill regulating products containing THC was signed, granting new authority and rulemaking mandates for WSLCB - though fewer hemp licensees may be another result of the law.

Starting in 2024, Washington job seekers will no longer be discriminated against due to the presence of non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites during most pre-employment drug testing.