Companion bills seek to create social equity in the cannabis retail industry.
Initially, AWC was opposed to the approach taken in HB 2870, sponsored by Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D–Seattle), and companion bill SB 6604, sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser (D–Kent). After a hearing in the House Commerce & Gaming Committee, the bill was substantially amended as follows:
- Establishes a Social Equity Program that authorizes the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) to issue additional marijuana retail licenses, with priority given to applicants who represent communities of color.
- Requires the LCB to reconsider and increase the maximum number of marijuana retail licenses for the purpose of meeting the social equity goals.
- Authorizes the LCB to issue or reissue marijuana retail licenses that have been forfeited, revoked, cancelled or were never issued, subject to restrictions.
- Removes provisions related to the authorization for a city, town, or county to submit requests to the LCB for the purposes of issuing additional licenses.
- Removes the city, town, or county grant match requirement under the Technical Assistance Competitive Grant.
- Establishes a task force on marijuana social equity for the purpose of making recommendations to the LCB on establishing a program for the issuance and reissuance of all marijuana licenses.
- Requires the task force to submit a report on recommended policies that will facilitate the development of a marijuana social equity program in Washington to the Governor and the appropriate committees of the Legislature by December 1, 2020.
- Provides that the recommendations from the task force must include whether any additional marijuana licenses should be issued.
AWC is now neutral on the bill.
HB 2870 was voted out of committee on Thursday, February 6.