[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6325500,"mediaKeyId","2333129-63a75c2a0e62c0ef64018d42f2f86e25","parentId",2333129,"title","Committee reports three bills after executive session; two bills deferred","audioSeconds",1240,"startMs",1937000,"endMs",3177000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333129-63a75c2a0e62c0ef64018d42f2f86e25&start=1937&end=3177","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333129-63a75c2a0e62c0ef64018d42f2f86e25/thumbnail_1937000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6325500/Washington/Committee-reports-three-bills-after-executive-session-two-bills-deferred","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325500-33ee80449072a82cd7c43703f19ae846/orig.mp4?Expires=1770996442&Signature=o6pOqyWC~lD4rouJaYy6Ai0O9MHm5QtxaUtGgnEqf-JzruQG48LELvxclhC6TBbPUC95XCjNc3ewV3ekpntUocaf3kUlBH5W6CMbbgHcSAsNHd3HlRHRI1Hx4CR4WcjGH-agT8mjeJvohoDLRMa8~hZbf2WGyStqW1gVeAXRq5XEoIHAqEYwKBpkGIUG9QvS9Twx7rj~tvrtKZq2WOfgvFeL~YC7xWcwxvehHVjEOf3QfDkeI89VqDTMkC2dFg7LSnG1Cp6KrzoRsxHdkjym5P4WQw81co0O5V8uOHg7c3SbVvVSoFXvcGmjHdSR66h~AlculB0XW9XRrXukYqIhbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Agriculture","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met in executive session on Feb. 18, 2025, and took formal action on multiple bills. The committee adopted an amendment and reported a substitute for House Bill 1563 with a due pass recommendation; it also reported House Bill 1609 and the proposed substitute to House Bill 1707 with due pass recommendations. The committee deferred action on House Bill 1608 and House Bill 1735.

House Bill 1563 (prescribed fire claims fund pilot)
Representative Melanie Morgan (Vice Chair) moved that House Bill 15 63 be reported out of committee with a due pass recommendation and the committee moved to adopt amendment H1463.1. Representative Dent explained the amendment addresses stakeholder concerns and clarifies eligible claim types and definitions. The adopted amendment broadened landscape references, allowed local government entities to be supported for prescribed burning, removed DNR fire suppression costs from an eligible claim type, and revised the definition of cultural fire practitioner to require tribal approval rather than mere association.

Final committee roll call on the substitute produced 9 ayes and 2 nays. Vote record (as called): Representative Reeves — yes; Representative Morgan — yes; Representative Dent — yes; Representative Engle — yes; Representative Birnbaum — yes; Representative McClintock — yes; Representative Nance — yes; Representative Orcutt — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Richards — yes; Representative Schmick — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Springer — yes. The chair announced the result: \"By your vote, due pass recommendation.\" Several members noted further work remains on the bill even after the amendment’s adoption.

House Bill 1609 (designee for superintendent on Board of Natural Resources)
The committee moved and seconded a motion that House Bill 16 09 be reported out with a due pass recommendation. There were no amendments. The final roll call mirrored the substitute vote pattern: 9 ayes and 2 nays. Vote record (as called): Representative Reeves — yes; Representative Morgan — yes; Representative Dent — yes; Representative Engle — yes; Representative Birnbaum — yes; Representative McClintock — yes; Representative Nance — yes; Representative Orcutt — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Richards — yes; Representative Schmick — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Springer — yes. The committee reported HB 1609 to the next stage with a due pass recommendation.

House Bill 1707 (process before listing agricultural crops as noxious weeds)
The committee moved the proposed substitute of House Bill 17 07 and after discussion the roll call result was 9 ayes and 2 nays. Vote record (as called): Representative Reeves — yes; Representative Morgan — yes; Representative Dent — yes; Representative Engle — yes; Representative Birnbaum — yes; Representative McClintock — yes; Representative Nance — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Orcutt — yes; Representative Richards — no (nay without recommendation); Representative Schmick — yes; Representative Springer — yes. The chair announced the substitute was reported out with a due pass recommendation.

Deferrals
The committee announced it was deferring action on House Bill 16 08 (prohibit selling/possessing farmed octopuses) and House Bill 17 35 (force feeding of birds/foie gras) and said sponsors would be contacted for follow-up work.

Notes on process and next steps
Committee members used roll-call votes to decide reporting recommendations for three items and adopted one amendment on the floor of the committee. Multiple members expressed that additional technical or stakeholder work would continue as the bills proceed to the next legislative stages.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Agriculture & Natural Resources - 2/18/2025 10:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met in executive session on Feb. 18, 2025, and reported three bills with due pass recommendations while deferring action on two others.","taxTitle","Agriculture and Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20253,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325505,"Committee hears bill to require pet stores to provide invasive-species information to customers",917,505000,1422000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333129-63a75c2a0e62c0ef64018d42f2f86e25&start=505&end=1422","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333129-63a75c2a0e62c0ef64018d42f2f86e25/thumbnail_505000.jpg","/articles/6325505/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-require-pet-stores-to-provide-invasive-species-information-to-customers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325505-792688166db087318b232b6e1ba5b7e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770996442&Signature=RArPX5ouSla9xd6-0J0La749ftXGuNvhzi~H--sIPSC2GY5s3c7kWANYZO-mKKM8CJnxiWoLJvq4XRL3XBnlFVhthFoM6WPO3DakXSaRLFDfUc71EIA4Ciw2XDq3plyrT0p1NFvyqo2ecgSXMZpOjPCyLO5mhPXKcM5rjt8p0Qr1tlC4L8Y-~kjKQ8bJpAtiXcjtP4VFnQAO295dEEmcL8YAgPq95t4kQ6y83OmllSA0XzYrh8cb~qajx2ylBU9DY8Fw1A5KGWL3pOoPFyGjgKRwoWEaQTuj4h~U1ZT8b22bDHqeYrJwoXDzqqcmScU0l8I0WLqVVPTtrqZcVAejNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard testimony on Feb. 18, 2025, on House Bill 1976, which would require retail pet stores to provide customers with a pamphlet prepared by the Washington Invasive Species Council explaining risks and rehoming options for pets and aquatic plants.

In a staff briefing, Rebecca Lewis explained the bill’s purpose and context: “By way of background, invasive species are species of animals that are not naturally occurring in Washington and that pose risk of harming or threatening the state's environmental, economic, or human resources. The state invasive species council was created by statute in 02/2006 to provide policy level direction, planning and coordination to prevent the spread and introduction of invasive species.”

Sponsor Representative Brandy Donaghy told the committee the bill is intended to reduce incidents in which pet owners release animals or plants into local waters or landscapes. “When people get pets they don't always wanna keep them,” Donaghy said, adding that releases can lead to costly and ecologically destructive outcomes such as zebra mussel infestations. She described the bill as a way to “make sure that that information is brought to the consumer so that they can make better choices.”

Technical witnesses described past invasive incidents and implementation questions. Brock Miller of the Recreation and Conservation Office, which houses the Washington Invasive Species Council, said recent incidents tied to imported “moss balls” produced zebra mussel detections in 2021 and again in 2024, and that the council already conducts education and industry outreach. Miller said the bill would benefit from clarifications about responsibility for printing and distributing physical pamphlets and how specific product categories are covered.

The Washington Retail Association, represented by Crystal Leatherman, said the association supports an educational approach rather than punitive measures and praised sponsor outreach to retailers. Phil Goss of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, testifying remotely, recommended a compact, updateable format — for example, “maybe just a small postcard or a very simple brochure with a QR code again so that you could update it on a whim rather than having to wait till the next time that you print 10 or 20,000 of these.”

A student witness, Rebecca Daniels of Lake Washington High School, described ecological and animal-welfare harms and noted that “Under Washington state law, this is classified as animal cruelty in the first degree of felony offense,” arguing that better consumer information would reduce those incidents.

Committee members asked about the number and specificity of pamphlets required, printing costs and which office would maintain the materials; staff said the fiscal note and stakeholder work would clarify those implementation details. The committee took public testimony and did not vote on HB 1976 during this session.

","House Bill 1976 would require retail pet stores to give customers a pamphlet produced by the Washington Invasive Species Council explaining risks of releasing pets or aquatic plants; sponsors, agency staff and hobbyist groups largely supported an educational approach while raising implementation and cost questions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325510,"Lawmakers hear bill to let licensed cannabis producers form agricultural cooperatives",1721,123000,1844000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333129-63a75c2a0e62c0ef64018d42f2f86e25&start=123&end=1844","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333129-63a75c2a0e62c0ef64018d42f2f86e25/thumbnail_123000.jpg","/articles/6325510/Washington/Lawmakers-hear-bill-to-let-licensed-cannabis-producers-form-agricultural-cooperatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325510-ab839566d3a71237a4d55220a2422ad5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770996442&Signature=f8zjQK-xXUNaliUhebtSgd8pwmtQCuINE5l~fXauszyLZGOkxi86blS21doJsye1T7VCuS~yhzUzuUtV9wXdAB7mt6pV3xV6K8xqctuMnby898pGl1rAVSTGz3aZStUsXf-BatiA-FTUU-wMHbfxZPOQWPNQyHObeZi~~h2iQDJx~G9c4f9PNt8lzqsuWfBOqYLxcgxjf7IZ~A1yrpk8jgzSMNlTV2obLOD6JNWaC3nXDKZVOVoOGkBpIQnTmifSfgTW7felB9WBsFqXTHDxni12vFe6V6tT~1lAlmpT80Xh2m1~74ss4onjLpM3v0bVNxiCa9ntoC7ScxjJJU49JQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee members heard staff and industry testimony on Feb. 18, 2025, on House Bill 1941, a bill that would authorize licensed cannabis producers to form agricultural associations and cooperatives for collective processing, handling and marketing.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Melanie Morgan, said the measure would extend to cannabis producers cooperative tools that other agricultural sectors have used for generations. “This bill, House Bill of 1941, provides a necessary lifeline by allowing licensed cannabis producers to form cooperatives under the same legal framework that governs other agricultural producers,” Morgan said.

The bill would amend Washington’s agricultural cooperative laws to allow cannabis producers to organize for mutual help and coordinated marketing; for the narrow purpose of cooperative formation the bill would treat cannabis as an agricultural product. Staff briefing to the committee noted existing legal constraints in consumer-protection and antitrust law and explained that the Liquor and Cannabis Board issues producer licenses that authorize cultivation and wholesale transfers.

Industry witnesses testified in favor but with caveats. Micah Sherbin, a licensed cannabis producer and board member of the Washington Sun and Craft Growers Association, said producers are “in the process of exploring the implications of of it in the context of the the state's regulations and rules and the market structure that we have,” and that his group was “cautious” but “optimistic about the benefits of this policy.”

Ryan Sevigny of the Cannabis Alliance said the measure could help small farmers “achieve economies of scale, reduce costs, improve market efficiency and help small farmers remain competitive,” and urged additional consideration of right-to-farm protections for cannabis producers. Ezra Eichmeier of Producers Northwest likewise urged lawmakers to view the bill as a step toward normalizing cannabis production within agricultural law and to consider broader agricultural status changes if federal law evolves.

Staff and witnesses emphasized that HB 1941 does not create new cannabis licenses or change existing licensing or taxation rules; it only permits licensed producers to form cooperatives. Committee members asked procedural questions; no committee vote on HB 1941 occurred during this hearing.

Looking ahead, sponsors and multiple producer groups said they expect follow-up stakeholder work to resolve regulatory details and to watch for unintended consequences in a market that remains regulated at the state level. The committee paused further action on the bill after public testimony and moved on to other items on the agenda.

The public hearing record includes written sign-ins and several in-person and remote witnesses who urged the committee to refine implementation details before enacting the cooperative authorization.

","A Washington House committee heard testimony on House Bill 1941, which would allow licensed cannabis producers to form cooperatives and treat cannabis as an agricultural product solely for cooperative formation; sponsors and industry representatives described the measure as aimed at helping small producers compete.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee reports three bills after executive session; two bills deferred

Committee hears bill to require pet stores to provide invasive-species information to customers

Lawmakers hear bill to let licensed cannabis producers form agricultural cooperatives