State bill aims to aid pot shop owners

Mason County cannabis retailers don't have the near-daily stolen vehicle smash-and-grab burglaries that the Seattle area does, but local pot shop owners struggle with security concerns that a proposed state bill aims to address.

State Sen. Karen Kaiser's, D-Des Moines, substitute Senate bill 5259 will provide a tax break for retail cannabis store owners who install security upgrades.

The bill requires stores to spend at least $3,000 on "physical security improvements" such as bollards, security cameras, antitheft mirrors and locking display cases, according to the bill.

Cannabis products are a...