Washington lawmakers are considering a major new drug policy in a special session that begins Tuesday, a day after reaching a compromise that Democratic and Republican leaders say strikes a balance between public order and compassion for those with substance abuse issues.
The bipartisan agreement would avoid making the state the second in the U.S. to decriminalize the possession of controlled substances. Gov. Jay Inslee called lawmakers back to the Washington Statehouse for a special session after they failed to pass one before adjourning late last month.
Under a tentative deal, intentional possession or public use of small amounts of illegal drugs would be a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail for the first two offenses and up to a year after that.
The measure actively encourages police and prosecutors to divert cases towards treatment or other supportive services. Additionally, the proposal allocates millions of additional dollars to enhance diversion programs and offer short-term housing for individuals grappling with substance use disorders.
2-year-old law is due to expire July 1
A temporary, 2-year-old law that makes intentional drug possession illegal is due to expire July 1. So unless the compromise passes, drug possession — even of fentanyl and other dangerous opiates — will become decriminalized under state law. The only other state that’s tried decriminalizing drug possession is neighboring Oregon, where the experiment is off to a rocky start.
Lawmakers on both sides said the agreement strikes a balance between compassion and accountability for those struggling with substance abuse disorder. Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, called it “a fair compromise that addresses urgent concerns about public disorder but follows evidence-based practices in helping people in need.”
Both Goodman and Republican Rep. Peter Abbarno, from Centralia, acknowledged that approving the compromise would only mark the beginning of the work ahead. They emphasized that despite the allocation of additional funding, the state still lacks the necessary treatment or diversion program capacity to effectively address the addiction crisis.