Phew! The deadline for a bill to move out of policy committee in house of origin is today and our legislation is moving!  We are so grateful for all of you and your willingness to jump into the process with us!  

Next week is going to be a bit frenetic.  The fiscal committees have to get through as many of the remaining referrals as possible by Friday Feb 24th.  This includes hours-long committee hearings and meetings on the weekend.  This is a time where bills can just get lost to the calendar and we are going to keep on the pressure to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Speaking of pressure, it’s been a big week as we approached today’s deadline.  The week started with some big moves on the Commission bill and ended with a passing vote of Homegrow out of Regulated Substances and Gaming.  Also, we are happy to report no potency bills made it out of committee, which renders them pretty dead. (Al can explain zombie bills another time, but we can feel confident that 1641, 1642, and 1595 will not be resurrected.)

Thank you again for your involvement!  This is how we get sensible cannabis legislation passed.

If you’d like to follow along with cannabis legislation as it develops, you can view our Bill Tracker HERE.  

2/13/23 Senate Labor and Commerce at 10:30a – Executive Session

• SB 5367 – Concerning the regulation of products containing THC.
  • Passed to Ways and Means, Hearing Sun 2/18 @ 9:00a
• SB 5340 – Regarding limits on the sale and possession of retail cannabis products.
  • Passed to Rules
• SB 5363 – Concerning cannabis retailer advertising.
  • Passed to Rules
• SB 5259 – Ensuring commerce and workplaces are safe from product theft.
  • Passed to Ways and Means

2/13/23 House Regulated Substances and Gaming at 1:30p – Public Hearing

• HB 1772 – Prohibiting products that combine alcohol and tetrahydrocannabinol.

2/13/23 Senate Ways and Means at 4:00p – Public Hearing

• SSB 5080 – Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program
  • Caitlein Ryan testifies at 42:12
• SSB 5376 – Allowing the sale of cannabis waste
  • Caitlein Ryan testifies at 1:00:42

2/14/23 House Regulated Substances and Gaming at 4:00p – Public Hearing

• HB 1822 – Concerning complimentary products provided by short-term rental operators to guests

2/14/23 House Regulated Substances and Gaming at 4:00p – Executive Session

• HB 1159 – Allowing interstate cannabis agreements
  • Passed out to Rules
• HB 1772 – Prohibiting products that combine alcohol and tetrahydrocannabinol.
  • Passed out to Rules

2/16/23 House Regulated Substances and Gaming at 8:00a – Public Hearing

• HB 1790 – Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program
  • Submitted written testimony
  • Full Bill Testimony

2/16/23 House Regulated Substances and Gaming at 8:00a – Executive Session

• HB 1614 – Concerning the home cultivation of cannabis
  • Passed out of committee including one Republican vote from Rep. Waters, Passed to Appropriations
• HB 1822 – Concerning complimentary products provided by short-term rental operators to guests
  • Passed to Appropriations
• HB 1650 – Requiring voter approval for local government prohibitions on cannabis businesses
  • Passed, no referral

New Cannabis Bills that Dropped this Week:

We always want to hear from you on what you think about legislation.  Please reach-out at any time or stop by in office hours.  Most Fridays, office hours will also have a number of members from the Legislative Committee and we’d be happy to loop you into the conversation.

• HB 1822 – Concerning complimentary products provided by short-term rental operators to guests
  • This was the fastest turnaround on a bill ever.  There was an alcohol bill heard by the committee last week and Rep. Morgan thought it would be a good idea to propose one for cannabis just in the name of parity.  We are in support and appreciated Bailey Hirshberg’s suggestion to include edibles and beverages.

Cannabis Research Commission

• SSB 5546 – Establishing a Washington state cannabis commission
  • Passed out of the Labor and Commerce Committee with a substitute.  The substitute will put the commission to a referendum vote of a simple majority of 30% of active producer/processor licenses.  We feel like this is a great way to find compromise with folks who are concerned about how many farmers want this bill.  We know most farmers are in support and this will be a good way to demonstrate industry buy-in.
• HB 1581 – Establishing a Washington state cannabis commission
  • Holding tight until the senate bill comes over to the house  

Homegrow

• HB 1614 – Concerning the home cultivation of cannabis
  • Regulated Substances and Gaming has voted homegrow out of committee!  We don’t yet have the referral, but it will more than likely go to appropriations where it is historically stuck.  We’ve done a lot of groundwork to make sure it makes it to the floor and we’ll be asking for your support next week.

Patient Excise Tax

• HB 1453 – Providing a tax exemption for medical cannabis patients
  • Has a hearing in the Finance Committee on Monday.  We will be providing brief, but powerful testimony and could use all the positive sign-ins you can help with.  This committee has seen testimony the last two years and has passed it out of committee each time and we expect this time will be no different.

Arrest Protection

• HB 1563 – Concerning arrest protections for the medical use of cannabis
  • In the Rules Committee and needs to be pulled to the floor for a vote.  Deadline for House of Origin is March 8th.  The earlier the house passes the bill to the senate, the more time we have to complete the process again on the Senate side.
• SB 5608 – Concerning arrest protections for the medical use of cannabis
  • Pumping the breaks and leaning on House Bill as the vehicle

Cannabis Waste

• SB 5376 – Allowing the sale of cannabis waste
  • Scheduled for executive session on Monday.  The feedback was great and we expect this bill to move on to Rules.

Interstate Commerce Trigger Bill

• SB 5069 – Allowing interstate cannabis agreements
  • On the calendar for a floor vote.  Needs to pass the House of Origin by March 8th.
• HB 1159 – Allowing interstate cannabis agreements
  • Referred to Rules and up for a second reading.  We are still expecting the Senate bill will be the vehicle.

Social Equity

• SSB 5080 – Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program
  • Scheduled for an executive session on Monday.  We expect this bill to pass Ways and Means.
• HB 1790 – Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program
  • Had a public hearing on Thursday and prompted some excellent discussion between the committee members and the sponsor.  We recommend watching the bill hearing.

This is the last week to get a bill out of financial committees.  We need your help again this week with signing in.  Both bills are well positioned, but the committees need to hear how important they are to you.

2/18/23 Senate Ways and Means at 9:00a – Public Hearing

• SSB 5367 – Concerning the regulation of products containing THC.

2/20/23 House Finance at 8:00a – Public Hearing

• HB 1453 – Providing a tax exemption for medical cannabis patients

2/20/23 Senate Ways and Means at 9:00a – Public Hearing

• SSB 5546 – Establishing a Washington state cannabis commission
• SB 5377– Concerning cannabis license ownership

2/20/23 Senate Ways and Means at 9:00a – Executive Session

• SB 5376 – Allowing the sale of cannabis waste
• SSB 5080 – Expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program

We need your help with sign-in on Patient Excise Tax and the Cannabis Research Commission!

Go to: https://app.leg.wa.gov/CSI/House

1. Select for Committee: Finance
2. Select for Meetings: 2/20/2023 @ 8:00a
3. Select radial button for HB 1453 – Medical cannabis/tax
4. Select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record”
5. Select PRO
6. Submit
7. Click sign-up for more
8. Choose: Senate
9. Select for Committee: Ways and Means
10. Select for Meetings: 2/20/2023 @ 9:00a
11. Select radial button for SB 5546 – Cannabis commission
12. Select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record”
13. Select PRO
14. Submit