Proposed Bill Wouldn’t Allow WA Pot Bans Without Public Vote

Three Democratic Representatives in the State House have proposed a bill that could potentially affect pot bans throughout much of Eastern Washington. Then again, considering how I-502 votes went, maybe not.

As we have reported numerous times on Newstalk870 and our website, the language of I-502 which legalized state-run pot stores and marijuana did NOT prohibit cities or counties from banning all facets of marijuana growth, production and sales.

These bans are only legal within the city or county jurisdictions, or city limits.

Even Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a non-legally binding opinion  that that idea would stand up in court, and it has. Three times so far in Kennewick alone. Kennewick, Franklin County, Walla Walla County, and the City of Yakima and Yakima County have all passed bans. The rest of Benton County and Prosser have not. Pot business is legal within the Walla Walla city limits, and they are getting a pot store even as we speak.

House Bill 1438, if it passes and makes it through the State Senate, would require a public majority vote before any city or county could enact such a ban. It's considered a 'quick fix' to the language issue in I-502. Otherwise, the entire initiative would have to be re-written and given to voters again.

While many expect it to run into opposition in the GOP-Controlled Senate, even if it does pass, the end result might not be different, especially in Eastern Washington. In counties such as Adams, Grant and Lincoln, I-502 suffered one of the biggest landslide defeats in state history, with 'no' margins as high as 62-65%.

In Benton-Franklin Counties and other areas, the margin was closer to 53-55% or higher.  In fact, all but two Eastside counties defeated the measure. It largely passed due to King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties (Seattle-Tacoma).

As of Thursday, January 28th, the bill had been approved the House Commerce and Gaming Committee in the Democratically-controlled State House.  It would then move on for a vote, then to the Senate.  A Senate version of the bill would have to pass, then onto Gov. Inslee for signature and final approval or veto.