The first try was vetoed by the governor. The second try was unpopular with key constituencies. So now, a third try.

This bill, dropped today in Olympia by Rep. Roger Goodman (D-Duvall)—and already backed by an impressive 14 co-sponsors—is being praised by the Washington Cannabis Association, which says this third attempt at clarifying Washington's laws on medical marijuana includes necessary protections for patients and providers, plus authority for cities to issue moratoriums against medical marijuana dispensaries if they so choose.

The biggest difference between this bill and the second-try bill?

This one doesn't have a patient registry run by the state as a means of getting arrest protection for medical marijuana patients.

"A whole lot of patients," said Washington Cannabis Association spokesman Philip Dawdy, "were uncomfortable with the idea of being on a state-run registry that, for all anyone knows, could end up in the hands of the feds."