Taxes, police reform and environment. Washington legislators wrap historic session
Fifteen weeks ago, majority Democrats in the Washington Legislature convened a 105-day session vowing to address the fallout from COVID-19, police accountability, greenhouse gas emissions and issues of racial justice.
On Sunday, Democrats adjourned the session having accomplished much of what they set out to do, including passage of a number of sweeping bills that Gov. Jay Inslee, in a statement, called âhistoricâ in nature. This session s accomplishments are as important to the long-term well-being of our state as any session I ve seen, Inslee said in prepared remarks.
The final weekend proved a whirlwind. Among their final acts, Democrats approved a roughly $59 billion, two-year state operating budget along with a new â and long-elusive â capital gains tax aimed at Washingtonâs wealthiest residents.
Taxes, police reform and environment Washington legislators wrap historic session
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House OKs plan to overhaul state s approach to drugs
GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press
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SEATTLE (AP) The state House of Representatives on Saturday approved an overhaul of Washington’s approach to drug possession, after the Washington Supreme Court struck down its previous law as unconstitutional a ruling that left no prohibition on having small amounts of drugs, even for kids.
Many majority Democrats in Olympia saw the dramatic consequences of the ruling as an opportunity to address some of the harm the war on drugs caused, especially to communities of color. They sought to use it to expand access to addiction treatment and to put the state on a path to drug decriminalization.
WA Legislature OKs plan to overhaul state s approach to drugs
GENE JOHNSON and RACHEL LA CORTE
Associated Press
OLYMPIA (AP) The Washington Legislature on Saturday approved an overhaul of the state s approach to drug possession after the Washington Supreme Court struck down its previous law as unconstitutional a ruling that left no prohibition on having small amounts of drugs, even for kids.
The Democratic-led Senate voted on a mostly party line 26-23 vote and concurred with changes made in the House, sending the measure to the desk of Gov. Jay Inslee.
Senate Republicans decried the changes made in the House, which reclassify possession of controlled substances, including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, from the gross misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail that previously passed the Senate down to a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail. The previous law, before being struck down by the court, had made it a felony.
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