Four marijuana-related bills received committee approval today in Washington State.
The House Consumer Protection and Business Committee approved Senate Bill 5206 and Senate Bill 5403 today, while the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee gave approval to House Bill 1551 and House Bill 14141. All five measures had previously passed their chamber of origin.
Senate Bill 5206, approved today in committee after passing the Senate 39 to 9 last month, would ease current restrictions on cannabis advertising. It allows retailers to display up to four signs, up from the current two, and exempts signs smaller than 512 square inches from that limit.
Senate Bill 5403, which cleared the Senate 41 to 7, would prohibit a cannabis retail licensee from entering into certain agreements that confer a financial interest across more than five cannabis retail licenses, and it defines financial interest to include negotiating or coordinating purchases of products, any operational control over the business, or sharing profits, revenue, marketing costs, or employment decisions.
House Bill 1551, approved by the House earlier this month 57 to 39 (but with considerably different language), was passed today by the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. The proposal would extend the state’s social equity marijuana program to July 1, 2034. The proposal also “Requires the Liquor and Cannabis Board to conduct an evaluation of the program, in consultation with the Department of Commerce, and submit a report to the Legislature and Governor by December 1, 2025” and “Removes a specified grant eligibility restriction for the Cannabis Social Equity Technical Assistance Grant Program that applies to cannabis licensees who meet the social equity applicant criteria.”
House Bill 1141, approved by the House on March 11 in a 55 to 40 vote, would give marijuana cultivation and processing workers the right to unionize and collectively bargain. The legislation outlines procedures for forming labor unions, resolving disputes, and safeguarding employees’ rights to negotiate with employers. It applies to those involved in growing, harvesting, drying, and trimming marijuana on licensed farms, but excludes managers and supervisors who have decision-making authority.
All four measures now move towards consideration by the full House or Senate.
