WA Lege: Pot legalization fails

OLYMPIA — A bill to legalize personal use of marijuana died in committee today.

The House Public Safety and Preparedness Committee rejected HB 2401 which would have put marijuana under state regulation and taxation. An estimate from the state Office of Financial Management released Tuesday said the state might raise nearly $1.7 billion over the next 10 years, through taxes and sales receipts, if the bill passed.

Rep. Steve Kirby, D-Tacoma, said the rejection of the legalization bill could result in voters taking that step this fall in an initiative that has been proposed.