OLYMPIA, Wash. – Governor Inslee signed a bill into law that will make hard drug possession a gross misdemeanor and criminalize their use in public.

Lawmakers passed the bill on the opening day of a special session to address the growing drug crisis.

Washington Fraternal Order of Police president Marco Monteblanco says his organization of 3,300 officers is mostly behind the legislation.

“The reason why we say that is there was a lot of bipartisan work with both Republicans and Democrats trying to find a solution forward,” said Monteblanco. “That’s something that’s needed. At the Fraternal Order of Police, we actually applaud when both sides of the aisle can work together to try to find some common ground.”

A gross misdemeanor can bring a sentence of up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine, but a first or second conviction under this bill would carry a maximum jail term of 180 days.

But police and prosecutors are encouraged to send offenders to treatment and the bill provides millions of additional dollars for diversion programs.

KIRO reports the bill is a compromise between Republicans who wanted a stiffer penalty and Democrats who balked at further criminaliztion of drug use.

Without the bill, hard drug possession would become legal on July 1st, when a stopgap bill passed two years ago expires.

That came in response to a state Supreme Court ruling that found a flaw in the state’s previous drug law and threw it out.

The final vote in the Senate was 43-6, and 83-13 in the House, in favor of the bill.

Governor Inslee quickly signed the bill after it was passed.

To listen to a full interview with Monteblanco, go to our Podcast page.