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Regional Journalism
Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Washington Legislature. Austin Jenkins is the Olympia correspondent for the Northwest News Network. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) weekly public affairs program "Inside Olympia."

Pot License Investigators Will Be On Alert For 'Hidden Ownership'

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Pot entrepreneurs in Washington can apply for a business license beginning next Monday. The state now has a team of 14 license investigators ready to vet the applicants.

Becky Smith is with the Washington Liquor Control Board. She says they’ll be sleuthing for hidden owners and out-of-state financial backers – among other violations of the rules.

“We’re going to ask for bank statements, we’re going to ask for tax returns, we’re going to ask them where they received their money from and all those folks have to be from the state of Washington.”

The agency will first process applications for marijuana producers and processors. There will be a lottery for the 334 marijuana retail licenses statewide. The license application window is 30 days.

Before any marijuana business can open, the state will conduct an on-site inspection.

Washington voters approved legalized recreational marijuana last year.

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."