Washington State Office of the Attorney General
(WA OAG)

State legislators would be prepared with details on cannabis revenues, appropriations, and retail theft while Ecology staff delayed accreditation rules to see how the session panned out.

Topics related to social equity applicants, research projects, and the approaching legislative session were brought up by agency leadership.

Legislators and agency staff were preparing for the shorter 2024 legislative session where organized retail crime and patient concerns would figure amidst cannabis related policymaking.

A legislative implementation platform, applicant status and changes to the social equity program, and an enforcement briefing were among topics talked about by agency leaders.

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.

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.

Several cannabis retailers conveyed experiences and policies on reducing robberies, but local officials and others pushed for more organized and proactive enforcement approaches.

Most committee members found they liked legislation limiting pre-employment cannabis screenings as written, deciding against approving two amendments to the bill before recommending passage.

All 14 clearly active cannabis bills had been heard by opposite house policy committees, but six still awaited movement after two executive sessions were delayed to allow time for amendment.

Legislators asked for additional information during testimony on a bill to expand the social equity program before an unscheduled WSLCB panel joined the hearing to field questions.