OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Washington Supreme Court has stood by it’s decision to strike down the state’s drug possession law.
The court rejected a request on Tuesday to reconsider its February ruling that the law was unconstitutional because it did not require prosecutors to prove that a defendant knowingly or intentionally possessed substances.
The ruling has left Washington without a prohibition on possession of small amounts of controlled substances.
As lawmakers rush to address the matter, some aim to re-criminalize drug possession, while others hope to use the ruling to adopt an approach that emphasizes treatment over incarceration.
Meanwhile, a bill addressing the state Supreme Court ruling now known as the Blake decision is still alive in the House.
SB5476 would make possession a misdemeanor.
In appropriations committee executive session yesterday, Democrat Nicole Mackri said past criminal justice efforts tackling drug use have not worked.
Mackri said she still has concerns about recriminalizing drug possession, noting that the war on drugs has been “an abject failure.”
Republican Representative Skyler Rude called the bill too expansive:
He said the bill is far more comprehensive than addressing Blake, commenting that it would be far more appropriate to address Blake and tackle the complicated issues next session.
The measure now heads to the full house for debate with just a few days left in the session.