Washington State Senate
(WA Senate)

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.

With broad effects on definitions, timelines, portability, and the number of cannabis licenses in the social equity program, the Governor called passage of SB 5080 “a really important deal.”

The Washington State Legislature adjourned sine die on Sunday, but failed to pass “a Blake fix bill” which would likely prompt the calling of a 30-day special session sometime before June 1st.

The final day of the 2023 regular session would almost certainly include acceptance of the operating budget - but passage of the Blake response bill seemed more complicated.

The biennium operating budget as revised by fiscal committee leadership from both chambers would be published on Saturday at noon, the second to last day of the 2023 regular session.

Six of seven clearly active cannabis bills were on the Governor’s desk awaiting signature into law, veto, or partial veto while representatives tried to offer tax relief to “eligible farmers.”

All seven clearly active cannabis bills had been passed by the Legislature and the conference committee on the operating budget planned to release their revisions on Saturday at noon.

Legislators appeared to have resolved a dispute over language added to the final clearly active cannabis bill by members of the House, and the WSLCB lobbyist hinted at the budget timeline.