Washington Senate bets big on ‘treatment’

(The Center Square) – “Treatment” is en vogue with the Washington Legislature, as the debate about two bills taken up by the state Senate makes clear.

The first bill, SB 5347, is an act “Concerning access to abstract driving records,” according to the bill’s text. That access would be for the purpose of obtaining drug- and alcohol-related treatment.

The official bill summary explains that the bill “Authorizes the Department of Licensing to provide an abstract of the full driving record, and all alcohol related offenses to an alcohol or drug assessment or treatment agency for an individual who has applied for evaluation or treatment”; “Permits probation officers and probation clerks employed by a court to provide an abstract driving record to a treatment agency;” and “Permits courts to waive production and copying fees for the abstract driving records of indigent persons.”

It was sponsored by Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Woolley, known as one of the body’s conservative members, along with several more progressive members on the other side of the aisle, including Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, the legislator who has done perhaps the most to keep Washington’s police pursuit bill from being reformed to allow more chases.

Wagoner celebrated his bill’s 49-0 passage Wednesday by arguing in a statement, “When someone is trying to better themselves and get much-needed substance abuse treatment, we should do everything we can to help them take those important steps and not put obstacles in their way.”

He continued, “The limits on obtaining a full, accurate and comprehensive driver’s record from the Department of Licensing – one that includes all alcohol- and drug-related offenses – can often keep someone from receiving effective treatment or even meeting their court-ordered obligations.”

He addressed the issue of waiving fees as well.

“While the costs to obtain an [abstract driving record] may not seem like much to many people, and doesn’t represent a significant cost to the court, it can be an insurmountable amount to a single mother, disabled veteran or someone on a small, fixed income,” Wagoner said. “Let’s not let a copying fee stand in the way of our friends and neighbors, who are trying to do the right thing and seek treatment.”

“Treatment” is also the word that both Democrats and Republicans are seizing on in the effort to pass a permanent fix to the Blake decision, which decriminalized possession of most drugs.

The Legislature passed a temporary fix in 2021, making possession a simple misdemeanor that is set to expire on July 1. The bill being pushed to replace the temporary legislation is SB 5536, which would be permanent and raise possession to a gross misdemeanor.

It could be counterintuitive for the sponsor of legislation that would heighten legal penalties to warn against “criminalization” but Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, did just in celebrating her bill clearing the Senate Law & Justice Committee with a “do pass” recommendation.

“It’s clear we need a new response to drug possession, one that increases access to substance use treatment and emphasizes care over criminalization,” Robinson said in a statement.

She added, “This bill does just that and is the result of many conversations with community members, law enforcement, local government leaders, behavioral health providers and more. By investing in support systems based in real solutions like treatment, we can — and will — build healthier communities.”

Republican Senate Leader John Braun of Centralia offered some support for the legislation as well, and cited “treatment” as the reason for his support.

“SB 5536 has promise in that it would provide some leverage to get people into and through drug treatment,” he told The Center Square after the bill cleared the initial legislative hurdle. “I’m not completely supportive of the bill as it came out of committee but believe the deficits in it can be addressed with amendments on the Senate floor.”