LCB denies petition to expand social equity mobility for cannabis applicants

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board voted unanimously to deny a petition asking the agency to expand social equity mobility for cannabis applicants.

Daniel Jacobs, representing the director’s office, recommended denial of the July 13 petition submitted by David Rose. Jacobs said the petition sought to amend WAC 3‑14‑55‑570 to allow broader county mobility and to treat applicants selected under the 2020 (28‑70) and 2023 (50‑80) windows the same. "The petitioner's request for 28‑70 and 50‑80 applicants to be treated identically is inconsistent with existing statutory language which itself treats these two groups differently," Jacobs said, and added that the changes requested would require legislative action.

Jacobs explained the county threshold test used in the WAC and illustrated how scores are compared across counties to determine mobility eligibility. After discussion, a board member moved to deny the petition, a second was offered, and the chair recorded a unanimous 3–0 vote to deny the petition.