Is Frank Chopp Going Green? (And Not the Green You're Thinking.)

One of the key opponents to reforming Washington's  marijuana laws appears to be softening his stance on the decriminalization of pot. Maybe.

During a meeting of the 43rd district Democrats last week, House Speaker Frank Chopp purportedly told those in attendance that he was open to the idea of  decriminalizing the possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana when the Legislature convenes in January.

"He's open to hearing about it," said Chopp spokewoman, Melinda McCrady. "It is something that our members have started talking about."

While Chopp's level of commitment to decriminalization is still pretty fuzzy, it's potentially big news that a man who's been called the shadow governor of Washington  is open to the idea of reforming Washington pot laws. After all, this is a significant change of course for Chopp, who last year was rumored to be instrumental in killing House Bill 1177, a measure that would have enacted the same changes in the law that he now says he is open to. (Although pot wasn't particularly popular in the House last year, a companion bill in the Senate fared much better, passing out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with bi-partisan support.)

Chopp may simply be responding to a shift in the political wind.

“I think that, first of all, this is an issue where the Legislature is behind the electorate,” said Shankar Narayan, the legislative director for the ACLU of Washington. "I think the (votes) are certainly there in the democratic caucus. No one is going to lose seats over this."

Narayan says polling data shows more Washingtonians are for the decriminalization of marijuana than are against it.

And there's money to be made and saved by the state if such a measure were enacted. While the measure wouldn’t necessarily save or earn Washington money to help with its current fiscal malaise, in future years decriminalization would not only drastically cut the $32 million the state  currently spends jailing potheads, but would also provide $1 million per year in revenue from misdemeanor pot possession tickets, according to the state Office of Financial Management. This chart claims Washington could earn as much as $22 million from a toke tax.

Here in Seattle, newly elected city attorney Pete Holmes is already on-board with the idea, promising to not prosecute those found to be in possession of small amounts of grass. But what cost will a pro-pot agenda have in rural areas like Gray's Harbor or in Pacific County—areas that traditionally elect conservative democrats?

“The politics of it gets very muddy because of the fear of accusations of being soft on crime,” said Rep. Mary Helen Roberts, D-Lynnwood, who is for pot law reform. “I don't mean to be cynical but I guess I am , this is an election year. Sometimes positioning on issues or for races takes precedence over where we ought to be.”

But aside from the possible financial benefit to decriminalization, the democratic leadership needs to woo its base after making a series of cuts to social programs, and feuding with organized labor, which began last year when Democratic leaders threw unions under the bus. And, of course, the issue's has been the subject of increased media coverage as of late.

"The House leadership may be looking for a way to satisfy the liberal base without spending money," said Sen. Adam Kline, who last year passed a pot decriminalization bill out of his Senate Judiciary committee.

If in fact Chopp plans to appease angsty progressives, a pot bill might make it all the way to a House committee. But will it go any further?

Many are skeptical: “That's a meaningless statement,” said one Olympia source familiar with last year's legislation, commenting on Chopp's supposed "openness" to a pot decriminalization bill.

Says Rep. Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines, who sponsored last year's House bill:

“I'm happy to hear him say it, but having a discussion is one thing, passing it is another. There are lots of discussion we have.”

Either way, decriminalization efforts this coming session are likely to fare better in the Senate, which tends to vote more liberally , er, "progressively" than the House.