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SB 5887 Gets Hurry-Up Hearing: Noticed Waived, MMJ Patients Aren’t Patient

Citizens, Patients And Medical Issues; And They Waive A Hearing Notice!

SB 5887 Heard This Morning: A Dozen Testify, Two Dozen Positions

This morning at 8:00 AM the Senate Ways and Means Committee held a sneaky hearing on SB 5887, a vast rewrite of Washington medical marijuana law, MMJ. Waiving the normal public notice, the committee heard from a number of individuals representing regulatory agencies, local government, MMJ patients and dispensary owners, law enforcement and ACLU. If the committee was looking for a consensus it appeared there will not be time this session to scrub the bill, and maybe not this year.
As we have posted here several times, the cannabis industry in Washington State must find some common message about what appears to be a default single, consistent cannabis market in the state. Liquor Control Board, LCB, Deputy Director Rick Garza told committee members that the Board is learning that without a “tightly controlled medical (MMJ)” law clarifying “legitimate patients”, the state’s 502 regulatory platform will struggle to accomplish it’s required goals. Earlier this session Garza announced to the House Finance Committee that over “90% of all MMJ purchases” were fraudulent and actually recreational users.

As patient after patient complained about the lack of public notice for the hearing they also stated many anecdotal reports of legitimate needs for MMJ and the lack of general respect by policy makers that MMJ is in fact a medicine. Veterans were represented by Patrick Seifert who shared sad and compelling information about veterans who have, after multiple trials pharmaceuticals, have found comfort and relief with MMJ.

Local Government Wants Money? That’s a Novel Idea

It took the Washington Association of Cities two minutes to mention to the committee that cities need more revenue to enforce and regulate cannabis production, processing and sales.

As Colorado has shown, logic is pushing for a single regulatory platform. Washington ACLU now clearly supports a single platform. Alison Holcomb, ACLU Washington, told committee members that realigning the MMJ and 502 regulatory schemes is essential for an enforceable and practical cannabis market in the state.

Consistency Please

Don Pierce of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs asked, begged the committee for consistent laws. Rightly, he shared the conflicting environment of federal, recreational and MMJ provisions under which his members must equally and consistently enforce the laws. Conflicting laws, no consistency, no equal application…crazy job for law enforcement for sure.

And…HB 2030 Introduced Monday: 502 Sections References May Need 2/3’s Vote

HB 2030, an 80 page rewrite of many sections of Washington law pertaining to DUI testing and conviction provisions was introduced yesterday by representative Morrell, D-Puyallup, and thirty-eight other bi-partisan colleagues not only attempts to straighten out portions of our present DUI law, it also clips sections of I-502, which might require a 2/3’s vote. Governor Jay Inslee requested the bill be introduced.

We have inquired how the legislature handles a bill with different vote count passage requirements in different sections and when someone figures it out we will share it with you. The bill appears to steer clear of our new recreational use law, but it also seems to amend the new I-502 law by reference, and if not, certainly creates a conflict. Watch for this one to be sorted out.


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