A Washington State Senate committee on Tuesday accredited a invoice to set the state as much as enable interstate marijuana commerce, pending a federal coverage change.
The Senate Labor & Commerce Committee handed the laws on a voice vote. It now strikes to the Senate Guidelines Committee. The motion comes one week after the panel first met to debate the reform, along with proposals regarding cannabis-related employment protections and social fairness.
The Home Regulated Substances & Gaming Committee was additionally scheduled to deal with a companion model of the interstate commerce invoice, sponsored by that panel’s chair, afterward Tuesday afternoon, however the assembly was cancelled.
Within the Senate, the laws is being sponsored by Sen. Ann Rivers (R). It could give the governor of Washington authority to enter into agreements with different authorized states to allow imports and exports between state-licensed hashish companies.
The committee chair, Sen. Karen Keiser (D), said that it was necessary to take “early motion” on the laws, particularly on condition that it “appears to have fairly substantial help.”
Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D) agreed that it “makes good sense to have this invoice, because it simply makes certain that our state is prepared in case there may be any interstate commerce agreements.” However she mentioned she can be voting and not using a advice at this stage as a result of “we have to guarantee that we truly deal with social fairness” within the business first. She is sponsoring hashish fairness laws that additionally just lately acquired a listening to, however has not but been scheduled for a vote.
Keiser replied that she believes the interstate commerce invoice and different marijuana reforms can be held within the Guidelines Committee till the legislature has an opportunity to advance fairness laws as effectively.
Underneath the interstate commerce proposal, merchandise that come from out-of-state companies can be required to adjust to Washington laws, together with these associated to packaging and labeling.
Nonetheless, it could solely take impact underneath one in all two situations: 1) if there’s a federal regulation change “to permit for the interstate switch of hashish” between authorized companies, or 2) if the U.S. Division of Justice points an opinion “permitting or tolerating” marijuana commerce throughout state strains.
If both of these situations are met, state regulators can be required to supply written discover of the federal coverage change, in addition to any state-level “statutory adjustments essential to authorize the sale, supply, and receipt of hashish” from out-of-state firms. Regulators would additionally have to undertake vital guidelines for cross-border commerce.
The legislation represents the most recent state-level try to organize for eventual interstate hashish commerce, at the same time as marijuana stays federally prohibited. California’s governor signed an identical measure final 12 months. Earlier than that, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed interstate marijuana commerce laws into regulation in 2019.
On the opposite facet of the nation, New Jersey’s Senate president filed an identical proposal final 12 months, however it has not but been enacted.
In the meantime, in Washington, lawmakers have additionally already labored to advance different hashish reforms this session.
For instance, there’s a invoice from Keiser that will make it so employers within the state can be prohibited from discriminating towards most job candidates for off-duty marijuana use or for testing constructive for non-psychoactive THC metabolites.
Saldaña’s fairness invoice contains provisions to vary the way in which that regulators are approved to approve extra licensees. The Liquor and Hashish Board (LCB) would be capable of add fairness retailers to this system based mostly on inhabitants tendencies, and people retailers may very well be situated in any municipality that enables marijuana companies to function, fairly than being confined to a particular location that the board assigns.
Individually, state lawmakers are additionally once more contemplating drug possession penalties and associated points this session.
Following a state Supreme Court docket determination in February 2021 that invalidated the state’s felony regulation towards drug possession, lawmakers enacted a brief criminalization coverage that’s set to run out on July 1. Some lawmakers need the state to formalize a coverage of decriminalized possession, however others wish to preserve criminalization.
Bipartisan Washington State senators additionally just lately unveiled a revised invoice to legalize psilocybin companies for adults.