Legislature adjourns sine die

OLYMPIA – The Legislature adjourned April 23 after failing to approve a controversial bill setting drug possession penalties, raising the possibility of a special session in the coming weeks to resolve the issue.

Drug possession became a misdemeanor two years ago when the state Supreme Court invalidated the law that made drug possession a felony.

Hurried legislation made the crime a misdemeanor, but many thought that charge was too light.

The Legislature debated Senate Bill 5536, which would have stiffened current penalties. But it failed to pass.

“S.B. 5536 was supposed to be a ‘fix’ to the W...