The Longview City Council has unanimously voted to table a proposed child drug endangerment ordinance, delaying a final decision until its second meeting in August. According to reporting by KLOG News, the council opted to postpone the vote to allow city staff time to clarify the definition of controlled substances and address concerns regarding the scope of the law.

The ordinance would make it a gross misdemeanor to recklessly expose minors to dangerous controlled substances, such as fentanyl. The proposal was initiated following the death of a 3-month-old from fentanyl exposure in December. While the original draft was modeled after an ordinance in Everett and focused on Schedule I and II controlled substances, recent amendments have complicated the legislative process.

Earlier this month, the council voted to add protections for unborn children to the ordinance. However, Senior Assistant City Attorney James Goodman advised the council against including that language, stating the provision was unlikely to hold up under Washington state law.

Additional concerns were raised regarding the potential for overly broad wording. Council members questioned how the law would define the “reckless storage” of medication, particularly concerning prescription and over-the-counter drugs. During the discussion, Councilmember Ruth Kendall noted the distinction between a young child accidentally accessing medication and a teenager intentionally stealing it from a cabinet.

The proposed law currently includes exemptions for legally prescribed medications, but the council is seeking further refinement of the text before moving forward with a final vote next month.