MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Lawsuit filed to block vote on safe-injection sites

Aug 21, 2017, 4:11 PM | Updated: 4:26 pm

I-27, injection sites...

(File, Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

(File, Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Voters won’t get to decide on whether or not to ban safe injection sites in King County until February.

RELATED: Bothell councilmember Joshua Freed on why he supports I-27

Protect Public Health’s lawsuit seeks to invalidate Initiative 27, arguing that public health policy is outside the scope of the initiative process.

The Metropolitan King County Council can pass the initiative as written or send it to voters, likely in February. An elections official says Aug. 1 was the administrative deadline for the November ballot.

King County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert introduced a motion on Monday to move up the vote, but it failed.

Supporters of I-27 say February may be too late with some pushing to open the safe injection sites by the end of the year.

 

Council budget chair, Dave Upthegrove, says he’ll oppose county funding for safe injection sites until the public has a chance to vote on I-27.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Lawsuit filed to block vote on safe-injection sites