2021 Regular Session

ByRepresentatives Klippert, Mosbrucker, Dufault, Corry, Abbarno, Dye, Graham, Boehnke, Barkis, Jacobsen, and Sutherland

Read first time 03/24/21.Referred to Committee on Public Safety.

AN ACT Relating to allowing local governments to enact laws and ordinances relating to possession of controlled substances and counterfeit substances; and amending RCW 69.50.608.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 69.50.608 and 1989 c 271 s 601 are each amended to read as follows:

((The state of Washington fully occupies and preempts the entire field of setting penalties for violations of the controlled substances act. Cities))(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, cities, towns, and counties or other municipalities may enact only those laws and ordinances relating to controlled substances that are consistent with this chapter. Such local ordinances shall have the same penalties as provided for by state law. ((Local))Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, local laws and ordinances that are inconsistent with the requirements of state law shall not be enacted and are preempted and repealed, regardless of the nature of the code, charter, or home rule status of the city, town, county, or municipality.

(2) Cities, towns, counties, and other municipalities may enact laws and ordinances relating to possession of controlled substances and counterfeit substances.