Washington State Lawmakers Approve Interstate Marijuana Commerce Bill In Committee

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 sort out 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), stated that it was necessary to take “early motion” on the laws, particularly provided that it “appears to have fairly substantial assist.”

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 stated she could be voting with out a suggestion at this stage as a result of “we have to be sure that we truly handle social fairness” within the trade 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 could be held within the Guidelines Committee till the legislature has an opportunity to advance fairness laws as nicely.

Beneath the interstate commerce proposal, merchandise that come from out-of-state companies could be required to adjust to Washington laws, together with these associated to packaging and labeling.

Nonetheless, it might solely take impact below one among two circumstances: 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 circumstances are met, state regulators could 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 corporations. Regulators would additionally have to undertake crucial guidelines for cross-border commerce.

The laws 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 yr. 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 yr, but it surely 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 may make it so employers within the state could 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 best way that regulators are approved to approve further licensees. The Liquor and Hashish Board (LCB) would have the ability to add fairness retailers to this system based mostly on inhabitants developments, and people retailers might be positioned in any municipality that enables marijuana companies to function, reasonably than being confined to a selected 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 choice in February 2021 that invalidated the state’s felony regulation towards drug possession, lawmakers enacted a short lived 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 need to preserve criminalization.

Bipartisan Washington State senators additionally just lately unveiled a revised invoice to legalize psilocybin providers for adults.