Mark Mullet on Drugs

Share state cannabis tax revenue with cities and counties

When we have state operating budget growth, we will share that growth with the transportation budget so we can avoid traffic misery for Washington residents. We will do a better job of sharing state cannabis tax revenue with cities and counties that want to focus on public safety improvements. We will provide state financial support to any city or county that creates a permit system that is both predictable and quick. All of these goals can be accomplished through the budget framework.

Criminal penalties for possessing illegal drugs

"Right now, no voter realizes that I was a senator who was fighting to make sure we got accountability for public drug use and no voter in the state knows the person I was fighting was Attorney General Bob Ferguson," he said. "He was encouraging us to follow the path of Oregon," Mullet added. "I thought what Oregon did by initiative the previous year was a complete disaster. And it's played out exactly as I said it would."

Mullet's 30-second ad will run on television in the Seattle area. "I can't imagine a more important public policy position to be on the wrong side of," Mullet said.

Bar employment discrimination for off-job cannabis use

The Center Square analysis (May 25, 2023):The bill will ban most employers from discriminating against a job applicant for their cannabis use "off the job and away from the workplace." The bill will also ban most employers from declining to hire a worker if a drug test shows the presence of "nonpsychoactive cannabis metabolites." The bill only applies to pre-employment testing and does not preempt state or federal laws requiring drug testing. Employers can require drug testing, including for cannabis. This bill does not apply to jobs with a federal background check or security clearance, in airlines or aerospace, in state law enforcement, or in fire departments or emergency medical services,

Legislative outcome: Passed House 56-41-1 on Apr/18/23; passed Senate 30-18-1 on Apr/19/23; Sen. Mark Mullet co-sponsored and voted YES; signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on May/9/23.

Support pilot program for growing industrial hemp

The Columbian summary February 11, 2016: The measure would allow Washington State University to study aspects of growing and selling industrial hemp such as whether soil and growing conditions in the state are appropriate.

KOMO/AP summary March 11, 2016: Washington lawmakers adjourned their 60-day legislative session Thursday without passing a supplemental budget. Shortly after that, Inslee announced that of the 37 Senate bills that were awaiting his signature, he vetoed 27 and signed 10 into law. In his written veto messages, he noted that while the particular measures were "worthy" bills, passage of the budget "is a greater legislative priority."

Legislative Outcome: Governor Jay Inslee vetoed on Mar/10/2016; Senate passed veto override 43-0-6 on Mar/28/16; State Sen. Mark Mullet voted YES; House passed veto override 88-6-4 on Mar/29/16.