Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

WaLeg Day 103: The beat goes on during the final day

OLYMPIA -- The Ugandan Kids Choir performs in the Capitol Building Rotunda at lunchtime on the last day of the regular session, April 24, 2015. (Jim Camden/Spokesman-Review)
OLYMPIA -- The Ugandan Kids Choir performs in the Capitol Building Rotunda at lunchtime on the last day of the regular session, April 24, 2015. (Jim Camden/Spokesman-Review)

OLYMPIA -- The Legislature is moving toward a temporary close sometime today, but there may be deals yet to be made before that last gavel comes down on the regular session.

End of the session is known as sine die, but there are some who say this is either tiny die or phony die because legislators are due back on Wednesday.

In any event, some legislators are still trying to reach a deal on marijuana market reforms, would provide a new tax structure for a combined recreational and marijuana pot system. There was talk about including restrictions on synthetic cannabis products, grafted onto the bill from a proposal that passed the Senate unanimously but seems stalled in the House. Prospects for that, however, seemed unlikely about 2 p.m.Gov. Jay Inslee is scheduled to sign the Cannabis Patient Protection Act, which has other changes for the state's marijuana systems, this afternoon. 

Talks also continue on oil train safety legislation as the Senate goes through a long list of gubernatorial appointments it is required to confirm.

Outside of the whispered meetings in the wings of the House and Senate, or quick talks in legislative offices or conference rooms, the most exciting thing for everyone else so far today was the Ugandan Kids Choir, which shook the building with dance and drum routines performed in the Rotunda.



Jim Camden
Jim Camden joined The Spokesman-Review in 1981 and retired in 2021. He is currently the political and state government correspondent covering Washington state.

Follow Jim online: