Spokane Valley council tables ordinance on endangerment with controlled substances; asks staff to draft broader exposure language

Spokane Valley City Council on Tuesday tabled consideration of Ordinance 25,011, a proposed municipal chapter to make ‘‘endangerment with a controlled substance’’ a local offense covering Schedule I and II drugs beyond methamphetamine. The council voted to pause action and asked staff to return with additional language and legal analysis at its July 8 meeting.

The measure was presented at the second reading by Senior Deputy City Attorney Tony Meadey, who told the council the draft would make ‘‘a person . . . guilty of the crime of endangerment with a controlled substance if the person knowingly or recklessly permits a child or dependent person to ingest, inhale, absorb, or have contact with any controlled substance listed in . . . Schedule I or Schedule II, except as expressly permitted by law.’’

The draft removes prior exceptions for cannabis and for prescription medications in some places, but retains an…