BILL REQ. #:  S-1975.1 

Read first time 02/26/2007.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     AN ACT Relating to a commission on psychoactive substance control; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) A commission on psychoactive substance control is created to investigate and make recommendations for alternative regulatory approaches to the production, distribution, and control of psychoactive substances with the objective of reducing crime, enhancing public health, protecting children, and promoting efficient use of scarce public resources.
     (2) The governor shall appoint one member with expertise from each of the following fields after consultation with individuals and representative groups thereof: (a) Education, (b) mental health and substance abuse, (c) law enforcement, (d) medicine, (e) law, (f) judiciary, (g) local government, (h) public health, (i) labor, (j) business, (k) pharmacology, and (l) the public at large. The commission shall select a chairperson.
     (3) Four members of the legislature shall be members of the commission, including two members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, one from the majority and one from the minority party, and two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one from the majority and one from the minority party.
     (4) The department of health shall staff the commission.
     (5) Legislative members of the commission shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (6) The commission shall report its recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2008.