More bills to watch

More bills that the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention is following:

HB 1004 would provide for social and emotional learning in public schools.

HB 1100 concerning the medical use of cannabis.

HB 1244 modifying liquor permits and licensing provisions.

HB 1246 and SB 5380 would restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products and dissolvable tobacco products. It would require tobacco products to be stored in a location that is inaccessible to youth.

HB 1270 includes mental health and suicide prevention education in the essential academic learning requirements in health and fitness.

HB 1285 would regulate synthetic cannabinoids.

HB 1465 would modify liquor license provisions by: (1) requiring licenses to post conditions and restrictions imposed by the liquor control board; (2) revising the definition of "nightclub" by removing the occupancy load requirement; and (3) requiring the liquor control board to determine the requirements for complete meals for purposes of the definition of "restaurant".

HB 1550 would provide for regulating the production, distribution, and sale of cannabis (legalization).

SB 5219 regarding penalties for retail liquor licensees when alcohol is sold to a person under 21 years of age.

SB 5285 would change the distance requirements for issuing a liquor license to businesses located near schools.

Medicine return bills

From the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, following is more detailed information about the two medicine take-back bills recently introduced in the state legislature.

SB 5234 and HB 1370 will protect our kids, our families, and our environment by creating a statewide system for secure return and environmentally sound disposal of leftover prescription and over-the-counter medicines from our homes.

· Help stop the epidemic of abuse and poisonings, and protect our water quality.

· Requires no state funds; budget-neutral to the state. Primarily financed by all drug producers selling medicines in Washington, as part of doing business. Removes financial burden from Sheriffs, police, and local governments.

· Not a government-run program. Establishes the non-profit WA Medicine Return Association that will be managed and financed by drug producers.

· Total annual costs of the program to drug producers collectively cannot exceed $2.5 million – or about 1 penny for every $16 in sales of medicines annually in Washington.

· Federal law has been changed to facilitate take-back of narcotics and controlled substances.

· Sheriffs, police, local govt’s, and pharmacies in ~12 counties are operating take-back programs but are struggling for funding.

More bills to watch

Introduced to the state legislature today:

SB 5111 would privatize the sale of liquor.

HB 1202 would create a pilot project to allow spirits sampling in state liquor stores and contract stores.

2011 bills to watch

This year's state legislative session started this week and here are a few bills that the Washington Association for Substance Abuse & Violence Prevention (WASAVP) is following.

HB 1116 would require the Liquor Control Board to convert at least 20 state liquor stores to contract liquor stores. It would authorize certain independently owned grocery stores to apply for and receive a contract liquor store appointment.

HB 1126 would provide communities with tools to better protect citizens from gang-related crime.

HB 1163 would create an ongoing work group on school bullying and harassment prevention.

HB 1166 would prohibit a person under 21 from being charged or prosecuted for seeking medical assistance for someone experiencing alcohol poisoning.

HB 1172 and SB 5029 would establish a pilot project to allow beer and wine tastings at farmers markets.

SB 5101 would place certain synthetic cannabinoids into schedule I of the uniform controlled substances act.