OLYMPIA, Wash. – A new state law took effect over the weekend and more will become law later this month.

Senate Bill 5536 emerged from a special session earlier this year and will criminalize public drug use.

Possession of controlled substances will be a gross misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of six months in jail for the first two convictions and a maximum fine of $1,000.

That law took effect Saturday, July 1st.

House Bill 1177 will create a cold case unit that focuses on cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people.

Other laws look to protect residents from robocall scams, increase hazing from a misdemeanor to a felony, and impose harsher penalties for sexually abusive prison guards.

Those all take effect on July 23rd.

Meanwhile, Washington will get its first state dinosaur: the Suciasaurus Rex.

That comes as the result of a 4th grade class project from Pierce County in 2019 and will also take effect on July 23rd.