WA State Senate Passes Gross Misdemeanor Drug Bill
It appears we could finally have a Blake Decision "fix" bill in WA state, pending House approval.
Senate passes bill making drug possession a gross misdemeanor
Following the 2021 State Supreme Court's decriminalizing drugs in WA state, (possession) the state legislature passed a modified temporary "fix" bill that made possession a misdemeanor on a person's third arrest. However, with that bill expiring July 1st, a special session was called to fix it because the original bill did not pass this session.
According to reports, including MyNorthwest.com, the State Senate by a vote of 43-6 has passed a bill that would do the following:
(the bill includes) "a modified gross misdemeanor as a penalty with a maximum of 180 days to 364 days in jail, depending on the circumstances."
According to part of the language of the bill:
“Knowing Possession of Counterfeit or Controlled Substances and knowing Use in a Public Place are gross misdemeanor crimes punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine, unless the defendant has at least two prior convictions for these crimes after July 1, 2023, in which case the potential confinement increases to up to 364 days in jail.”
There are some other provisions of the bill that can be seen by clicking here. If the bill is not changed by the House and it passes, Gov. Inslee will sign it into law.
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