Laws within the works
Washington lawmakers are shifting payments ahead for the neighborhood reinvestment fund, with some modifications.
State Sen. Rebecca Saldana, D-Seattle, and state Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Parkland, who each serve on the Social Fairness in Hashish Activity Drive, sponsored companion payments, House Bill 1827 and Senate Bill 5706, that align with the governor’s request for laws. Saldana additionally sponsored a separate invoice that restructures the allocation.
The laws, SB 5796, tethers greenback quantities to particular targets 一 like hashish pesticide testing, cash for native governments and the administration of the Washington State Wholesome Youth Survey. The invoice additionally reserves cash for areas, together with a Group Reinvestment Account, that aren’t certain by particular greenback quantities.
The thought is that as more cash pours in, extra goes towards areas not restricted by mounted allocations, together with reinvestment.
“I believe it’s very clear from the neighborhood perspective, $125 million is just not ample,” Saldana mentioned. “The necessity is far higher.”
Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Heart, broke from different Republicans when she voted in favor of the restructuring invoice.
“That is one factor that takes us again to the basis of what the folks voted for once they accredited Initiative 502,” she mentioned, referring to the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2012.
The senator, who has labored on cannabis legislation prior to now, was the one Republican on the Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs Committee to vote yes on SB 5796.
“There’s nonetheless loads of hesitancy on my facet of the aisle about hashish, about the entire legalization,” she mentioned, however famous folks could really feel in a different way relating to voting on the ground. “Committee votes may give you a bellwether however usually are not essentially the ultimate phrase.”
On SB 5706, the invoice to create the neighborhood reinvestment fund, Rivers referred it with out suggestion. She mentioned this was a method to keep away from delivering a deathblow to the invoice.
“Once I vote with out rec, it means I don’t know, I’ve a query I must get answered earlier than I commit in some way,” she mentioned.
