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Thank You for Your Feedback
In
February 2020, the Cannabis Licensing Management Team began conducting exit
interviews with applicants to identify ways to improve our customer service. We
ask six questions to assess customer service, timeliness, education and
information we provide, and other opportunities to improve our processes.
To
date, we have conducted 319 interviews; 81% of the results have been positive.
The feedback (both positive and negative) has helped us to identify specific
areas for improvement. Timely responses is on the top of our list. We look
forward to continuing these interviews. Thank you for supporting our efforts to
improve our processes and customer service.
Application Time Frames
It's our goal to process cannabis applications within 90-120 days. Meeting these
time frames is a partnership between Licensing and the applicant. Each
application type has different requirements.
Many factors can impact processing times, including
construction delays, teleworking, and furloughs. Licensing understands that
cannabis businesses may need additional support during these difficult times.
We can assist you by offering more time and flexibility to navigate the licensing process. Please reach out to your Licensing Specialist and stay
in contact with them about the status of your applications, barriers you might
encounter, and other issues that you are having.
Tax Reporting Tips
Cannabis Producer/Processors
Producer/Processor licensees do not have a tax reporting requirement. Sales are
reported in the LEAF System.
Any questions should be addressed with your LCB enforcement officer.
Cannabis Retailers
- Email your completed monthly sales/tax report to marijuanataxes@lcb.wa.gov and save the cost of postage and envelopes.
- Copies of your on line payment confirmation or 3rd party point of sale system reports are not required unless requested by the LCB.
- The Retailers Sales and Excise Tax monthly sales/tax report is available on-line and was last updated December 2019, use of older forms should be discontinued.
- The Retailers Sales and Excise Tax monthly sales/tax report will calculate the marijuana excise tax by entering the monthly sales amount.
- Revised reports – if you need to change your report, check box for “Revised Report” on the Retailers Sales and Excise Tax monthly sales/tax report
- When submitting the revised report, include a copy of the original report, the monthly marijuana sales report from your point of sales system and reason for the change.
- Email to marijuanataxes@lcb.wa.gov
- Mail sent to the previous physical location at Pacific Avenue will not be delivered to our current location after July 31, 2020.Please use: PO Box 43085, Olympia, WA 98504
- Use your new license number on your report if you store has moved to a new location.
- The email address we have on file for you is used for direct communication. If your email address has changed, send your updated email address to licensingchanges@lcb.wa.gov.
Delays are Understandable
During this pandemic, Licensing understands that things may
take more time and cannabis businesses may need additional support.
Licensing
wants to assist you by offering more time and flexibility to get you through
the licensing process. Please reach out to your Licensing Specialist and stay
in contact with them about the status of your applications, barriers you might
encounter, and other issues that you are having.
Certificates of Location Compliance
The Licensing Division began issuing Certificates
of Location Compliance on June 11, 2020. This legislative session, Senate
Bill 6206 amended RCW 69.50.331 to
allow the WSLCB to issue Certificates of Compliance to applicants when their
location meets entity restriction requirements on the date we receive the
application. Applicants who meet all other licensing requirements may now
obtain their license if a restricted entity opens near their location after the
WSLCB issues the Certificate of Compliance. In the past, the law required applicants
to find a new location if a restricted entity moved too close to their proposed
location before they completed the licensing process.
Please
note, this certificate is only for applicants who apply for an original location or change of location. Licensing
cannot provide certificates without an application. Applicants must meet all
other licensing requirements and receive final approval from the WSLCB to
produce, process, or sell marijuana.
Notify Enforcement When Abandoning a Location
Enforcement has recently seen an increase in cannabis licensees abandoning their location without notifying the
WSLCB. Please remember to notify your officer prior to leaving your
location.
WAC 314-55-135 specifically states that your license is associated
with a physical location. Persons operating without a WSLCB approved licensed
location to produce, process, or sell marijuana will be discontinued.
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, you must have a location to
go to prior to leaving your current location. Extenuating circumstances
include, but not limited to:
- Fires;
- Property sold without your knowledge; or
- Local jurisdiction bans.
Please help us be able to help you by providing ample
notification of your situation so we can best advise you how to move forward.
Application Adjustments during COVID-19
Response
We are still accepting and working through applications.
Because requests to Alter Cannabis Site and/or Operating Plan applications and
Additional Funding applications are mailed directly to the WSLCB, processing
these applications may take a little longer than usual. To check on
the status of these applications, please email marijuanalicensing@lcb.wa.gov.
We will respond and let you know if your application was received and where it's at in the process.
Thank you for
your patience!
What's New with Rules?
We’re
growing! Audrey Vasek and Casey Schaufler joined us in mid-May as our new Rules
and Policy Coordinators. Currently, Audrey is leaning into learning our liquor
rules, and Casey is leaning into learning our cannabis, vape, and tobacco
rules. The idea, however, is that their collaborative efforts to learn and
participate in rule development for all of the products we regulate will help
not only to build their capacity as a team, but our capacity as an agency to
serve our licensees and the state of Washington.
So,
what’s new with rules? See the chart for the status of current cannabis rule projects. If you’d like to know more about each project, please
visit our rules web page for rules in progress, along
with documents describing each project in detail.
Want to
get involved? Keep an eye out for Listen and Learn session announcements
through our GovDelivery
notification service.
We look
forward to working with you!
Kathy
Hoffman, Policy and Rules Manager
Virtual Listen and Learn Forum Session #1: Rules Regarding Marijuana Definitions and Vapor Products
The
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) is hosting two Listen and
Learn forums to consider establishing new and amending existing sections of
rule concerning marijuana definitions and marijuana vapor products. This is the
first of two planned sessions. The full text of the draft conceptual rules are
provided here. For this session, we are discussing only
draft conceptual rule sections 314-55-010(4) and (40) to implement House Bill
2826 pertaining to marijuana vapor products.
Please
join us virtually on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. until 3:45 p.m.
via WebEx.
Background
On March 25, 2020, HB 2826 passed the legislature in response to concerns related to marijuana vapor product and vapor related lung illnesses. The bill contained an emergency clause, and in its intent section, found that “recent reports of lung illnesses associated with vapor products” demanded “serious attention by the state in the interest of protecting public health and preventing youth access.
On March 25, 2020, HB 2826 passed the legislature in response to concerns related to marijuana vapor product and vapor related lung illnesses. The bill contained an emergency clause, and in its intent section, found that “recent reports of lung illnesses associated with vapor products” demanded “serious attention by the state in the interest of protecting public health and preventing youth access.
HB
2826 provides that the Board may adopt rules prohibiting any type of marijuana
vapor product device, or prohibit the use of any type of additive, solvent,
ingredient, or compound in the production and processing of marijuana products,
including marijuana vapor products. However, before adopting either of these
types of rules, the Board must have determined, following a consultation with
the Department of Health (DOH), or any other authority the Board deems
appropriate, the device, additive, solvent, ingredient, or compound may pose a
risk to public health or youth access.
HB
2826 authorizes the Board to require marijuana processors to submit, under
oath, to the Department of Health, a complete list of all constituent
substances and the amount and sources of all constituent substances in each
marijuana vapor product. HB 2826 also provides that Board may adopt rules
prohibiting the use of a characterizing flavor in marijuana vapor products.
Rules
are needed to implement the provisions of HB 2826, and to establish definitions
for terms including, but not limited to “characterizing flavor,” botanical
terpenes,” and others.
The
Preproposal Statement of Inquiry filed by the Liquor and Cannabis Board may be
found here.
Meeting Details
An agenda is attached. Please come prepared to offer feedback and suggestions regarding this rule section.
An agenda is attached. Please come prepared to offer feedback and suggestions regarding this rule section.
If
you wish to participate virtually, we’d like to offer the following
reminders:
- Virtual participation will be
structured to allow one speaker at a time through a hand-raising feature
on WebEx.
- If you experience difficulty
with audio or visual elements of virtual participation, please be patient.
Please
remember that we are still in the developmental phase of rulemaking, and there
are not yet any proposed or final rules amendments. To help you prepare for
this listen/learn/contribute forum, please review the guidance document
prepared for this and future forums.
Questions?
Contact Casey Schaufler at casey.schaufler@lcb.wa.gov
To join the WebEx meeting online:
https://watech.webex.com/watech/j.php?MTID=mee35a3ea86f3824ff52650252c672ee9
To join the WebEx meeting via audio conference only:
- Toll Free: 1-855-929-3239
- Toll: 415-655-0001
Access Code: 133 951 6990
Update on LCB’s Systems Modernization
Project (SMP)
LCB’s current online
systems are outdated and can be difficult to navigate
The LCB’s online systems are made up of a variety of outdated applications
that manage licensing and agency business processes for cannabis, vapor
products, tobacco, beer, spirits, wine, and our enforcement and education
services. Maintaining these old systems is costly and limits the ability to make
improvements to functionality and ease of use. The risk of system failure is also a
significant concern.
Developing a new
system that meets requirements and improves functionality
The agency is working on a project called Systems Modernization Project
(SMP) to develop a new system to replace the outdated systems with an integrated
system. The new system will be called Licensing, Enforcement, Education, and Administrative
Data Systems (LEEADS). It will have an online portal where applicants can see
the status of their applications and can add or modify information directly.
Online payments will be possible, and licensees will be able to see their
license history for all of their licenses, permits, and endorsements in one location.
Learning what licensees
need and want from an online licensing system
The project team includes staff experts from each LCB area to ensure the
new system meets the needs of staff and licensees from each area. Project staff
have been contacting licensees from a variety of license types to get insight
into their needs and experiences with LCB’s online systems. As the project
moves forward, licensee feedback will help shape the development of the LEEADS
system. A selection of licensees will be contacted for help in testing the
system. Licensees will be kept updated on LEEADS progress via this newsletter
and other ways. If you have questions please email the project team at SMP@lcb.wa.gov.