OLYMPIA, Wash. — A law that would have added a year to a prison sentence for robbing a pot shop has failed to pass the state House.
Senate Bill 5927 passed the state Senate with bipartisan support, and its failure to get to the governor’s desk left its supporters in Olympia and pot shop owners around the state wondering why.
“Because of the banking regulations, the pot stores have to deal in cash. And so that's where the cash is,” said State Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, who sponsored the bill.
He says because pot shops only deal in cash, they’re way more vulnerable than most other businesses that can use credit cards. He called this a no-brainer, blaming its failure in the House on Democrats.
“The majority party is more interested in turning people out of prison and reducing penalties than they are of increasing it, and as I said, it only would’ve increased it by 12 months," Honeyford said. "I'm just afraid too if it continues on there will be some deaths in these robberies.”
State Rep. David Hackney, a member of the House Public Safety Committee, pointed out that the bill did pass committee but said the session was too short for the bill to clear the Legislature.
"Simply put, there are more good bills than there is time to pass them," said Hackney, D-Seattle. "Unfortunately, members of Sen. Honeyford’s party chose to take part in a number of lengthy debates that prevented other legislation from being considered."
Hackney said lawmakers plan to bring the bill back next session.
Last month, Monique Conrad, who works at a cannabis store in Lynnwood, described what it was like when her store was robbed.
“It was by far the most terrible thing I’ve been through – incomparable to anything else," Conrad said. "I feared for my life and those of my fellow (employees).”
There are more than 1,000 cannabis stores in Washington state.
An industry watchdog said last month that pot shops have been attacked more than 30 times since February.