WSR 18-09-117
PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
LIQUOR AND CANNABIS
BOARD
[Filed April 18, 2018, 10:40 a.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: The Washington state liquor and cannabis board (WSLCB) is [making] changes to rules in chapter 314-55 WAC regarding cannabis retail license title certificates.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 69.50.342 and 69.50.345.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Since the passage of Initiative 502 in 2012, some local jurisdictions have passed moratoria, bans, restrictive zoning laws, reduced allocations, and placed other prohibitions on the retail sale of cannabis. In some areas, these ordinances have prevented cannabis retail licensees from opening. WSLCB rules require stores to follow all license requirements, whether they are able to open or not, resulting in significant costs to retail licensees. To reduce the costs of maintaining license requirements under WSLCB rules, this proposed rule making will seek to provide an option for cannabis retail licensees who are legally prohibited from opening within their allotted jurisdiction to apply for a title certificate. Title certificate holders will not be required to maintain all license requirements, but must meet the conditions specified in the rule provisions that will be proposed in this rule making.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: WSLCB will coordinate with the department of revenue's business licensing services as needed on proposed rule changes.
Process for Developing New Rule: Interested parties can participate in the discussions formulating this rule change by contacting or sending written comments to the agency staff listed below.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Joanna Eide, Policy and Rules Coordinator, 3000 Pacific Avenue S.E., Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-664-1622, fax 360-664-9689, TTY 711 or 1-800-833-6388, email rules@lcb.wa.gov, web site www.lcb.wa.gov.
April 18, 2018
Jane Rushford
Chair