Legislative Digest No. 35

	WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
Legislative Digest No. 35

SIXTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
Tuesday, March 11, 2014		58th Day - 2014 Regular Session

SENATE

SB 5887-S3

SB 6542-S

SB 6582

HOUSE

HB 2801

This publication includes digest and history for bills, joint memorials, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, initiatives, and substitutes. Engrossed measures may be republished if the amendment makes a substantive change.

Electronic versions of Legislative Digests are available at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/digests.aspx?year=2014.

House Bills

HB 2801

by Representatives Kirby and Parker

Modernizing life insurance reserve requirements.

Modernizes life insurance reserve requirements.

-- 2014 REGULAR SESSION --
Mar 10	First reading, referred to Business & Financial Services (Not Officially read and referred until adoption of Introduction report).

Senate Bills

SB 5887-S3

by Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Rivers, Tom, and Litzow)

Merging the medical marijuana system with the recreational marijuana system.

(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/08/14)

Merges medical marijuana and recreational marijuana provisions.

Requires the state liquor and cannabis board to: (1) Reconsider the maximum number of retail outlets it established and reconsider limits on the amount of square feet permitted to be in production; and

(2) Allow for a new license application period and a greater number of retail outlets to be permitted in order to accommodate the medical needs of qualifying patients and designated providers.

Provides qualifying patients a retail sales and use tax exemption on purchases of marijuana for medical use when: (1) Authorized by a health care professional; and

(2) Registered with the medical marijuana registry.

Establishes a medical marijuana endorsement to a marijuana retail license.

Requires the department of health to convene a work group to: (1) Develop practice guidelines for health care professionals to consider when authorizing the medical use of marijuana for patients; and

(2) Consider appropriate training and practice standards for employees of a licensed marijuana retailer that holds a medical marijuana endorsement.

Allows health care professionals to authorize the medical use of marijuana for qualifying patients who are under the age of eighteen if certain conditions are met.

Allows a school to permit a minor who meets certain requirements to consume medical marijuana on school grounds.

Requires a medical marijuana advisory group to be appointed by the governor to advise and assist the state liquor and cannabis board in adopting rules relating to the medical use of marijuana.

Exempts from disclosure under the public records act: (1) Records in the medical marijuana registry containing names and other personally identifiable information of qualifying patients and designated providers; and

(2) Financial information related to an application for a marijuana license.

Changes the name of the state liquor control board to the state liquor and cannabis board.

Requires the code reviser to prepare legislation for the 2015 legislative session changing references in the Revised Code of Washington from the state liquor control board to the state liquor and cannabis board.

-- 2013 REGULAR SESSION --
Apr 16	Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 8:00 AM.
-- 2014 REGULAR SESSION --
Jan 16	Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM.
Jan 21	Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health Care at 10:00 AM.
Jan 23	Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Health Care at 10:00 AM.
Feb 5	Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor at 1:30 PM.
Feb 7	Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor at 8:00 AM.
Feb 19	Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 3:30 PM.
Mar 3	WM - Majority; 3rd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
	Minority; do not pass.
	Minority; without recommendation.
	Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
	Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.
Mar 4	Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 8	3rd substitute bill substituted.
	Floor amendment(s) adopted.
	Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
	Third reading, passed; yeas, 34; nays, 15; absent, 0; excused, 0.

SB 6542-S

by Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senator Kohl-Welles)

Establishing the state cannabis industry coordinating committee.

(AS OF SENATE 2ND READING 3/08/14)

Creates a state cannabis industry coordinating committee to: (1) Develop a state comprehensive plan that identifies and coordinates the various business opportunities within the cannabis industry;

(2) Recommend a state financial system that best implements the state's marijuana marketplace;

(3) Develop a method for monitoring and assessing the economic returns the cannabis industry delivers to the state;

(4) Examine and report on changes in federal law that may impact the legal operations of the cannabis industry in the state;

(5) Make recommendations for a statewide cannabis industry coordinator; and

(6) Recommend options for the distribution of tax revenue from the sale of marijuana.

Requires the committee to appoint a medical marijuana subcommittee to review and make recommendations on certain issues.

-- 2014 REGULAR SESSION --
Feb 26	Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor at 1:30 PM.
Mar 3	WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
	Minority; do not pass.
	Minority; without recommendation.
	Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
	Public hearing and executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.
Mar 4	Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
Mar 8	1st substitute bill substituted.
	Floor amendment(s) adopted.
	Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
	Third reading, passed; yeas, 40; nays, 8; absent, 1; excused, 0.

SB 6582

by Senators Baumgartner, Ericksen, and Braun

Concerning the safety of the transport of liquid bulk crude oil.

Establishes the spill prevention and response act.

Requires the department of ecology to: (1) In consultation with the utilities and transportation commission, the federal railroad administration, and industry representatives, conduct a study on the safety of transporting crude oil in liquid bulk form by rail;

(2) Provide an analysis on the safety of transporting liquid bulk crude oil on waters of the state; and

(3) Provide grants to emergency responders to assist with oil spill response and firefighting equipment and resources.

Requires the department of ecology and the utilities and transportation commission to jointly hold a symposium on emergency prevention and response activities for liquid bulk crude oil transported in the Pacific Northwest region.

Requires the owner or operator for each facility other than a transmission pipeline to submit to the department of ecology data and information on: (1) The volume and type of crude oil that arrived at and departed from the facility each month, including the state, province, or country of origin of the crude oil; and

(2) The mode of arrival and departure at the facility including, but not limited to, arrival by vessel, rail, or pipeline.

Imposes an oil spill response tax and an oil spill administration tax on the privilege of receiving crude oil at a bulk oil terminal within this state from a tank car.

-- 2014 REGULAR SESSION --
Mar 8	First reading, referred to Energy, Environment & Telecommunications.