WA Homegrown Pot Proposed Bill Dies in Legislative Committee

When a bill is submitted to the WA State legislature, it goes to the appropriate committee for consideration. Most of them at least receive a vote from the members on whether to advance it for a possible floor vote. Sometimes it is voted to be moved to another committee for more examination.

in the case of this controversial bill, it did not even get voted on.

House Bill 2194 dies without getting a vote

According to sources, including marijuanamoment.net, the bill was sent to the House Appropriations Committee but was never given a vote before the deadline cutoff. It had passed an earlier sub-committee.

Democrat House Rep Shelly Kloba was the lead sponsor of the bill, according to marijuanamovement, there have been some efforts to legalize home growth dating back to 2015.

Supporters said fewer people would face pot-related charges if home growth were legalized, but opponents feared it would increase the availability of the drug for teens and minors. If it had passed, it would have allowed adults 21-and-older to grow up to four plants at their home or dwelling.

GOP opponents also raised the issue of people potentially selling the plants or pot derived from them. Supporters said people wouldn't do that.

One argument that did not appear to surface about the bill would be the impact of black-market pot on the state pot stores. There has still been a significant number of illegal marijuana growing and selling operations despite its legalization in 2012, some Democrats who opposed the measure when it was discussed earlier in the legislative session did not bring up that issue.