Justice
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Significant police reform on track in Legislature
Limits on the use of force by police and investigations of officers who have a pattern of misconduct continue to make their way through the Legislature, with some bills winning broad approval and with some passing only on party... — Updated 3/26/2021
House approves ban on certain police use-of-force tactics
A ban on the use of chokeholds, military equipment, and most types of car chases by law enforcement passed the House of Representatives after lawmakers voted along party lines in a 54-43 vote Feb. 27. HB 1054 was the subject of... — Updated 3/10/2021
Juneteenth steps toward state holiday status
Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley, D-Seattle, often sees her grandmother’s features when she looks in the mirror. She thinks of how her grandmother, a woman of color, experienced systemic racism and fought for a better life despite... — Updated 3/10/2021
Bill that bans private prisons wins bipartisan support
Washington’s only private detention center is proposed for closure. House Bill 1090 prohibits any person, business or government from operating private, for-profit detention facilities. It recently passed in the House of... — Updated 3/8/2021
Measures looking to limit executive powers die in state legislature
It’s been one year since Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and calls for a special legislative session and cries of executive overreach have been constant ever since. A special... — Updated 3/3/2021
Free attorneys, extended ban on evictions considered
An extension of an eviction moratorium for another two years and free attorneys for tenants who face eviction are proposed in a new bill that landlords say would decimate their industry. “It’s our goal to balance the needs of... — Updated 3/3/2021
Police accountability bills push through Legislature
Outrage over deaths of citizens in police custody sparked efforts by lawmakers to address racial equity, hiring and training, and the use of force within law enforcement. Now, nearing the halfway point in the 2021 legislative... — Updated 2/26/2021
In wake of major data breach, cyber security office proposed
Reeling from a December breach that allowed hackers to access the personal information of roughly 1.6 million Washington residents, state lawmakers are working with Gov. Jay Inslee to establish a new office to protect state data.... — Updated 2/24/2021
Bill would ban open-carry weapons at state capitol protests
A proposed ban on open-carry weapons during public demonstrations sparked a heated debate on whether the bill unreasonably restricts the Second Amendment to secure the protections of the First. The Senate Law & Justice Committee... — Updated 2/10/2021
House approves bills on public access, tax exemptions, online training
A set of three bills designed to keep essential functions of the state running during the COVID pandemic and future emergencies passed unanimously on Jan. 22 in the first virtual roll call vote the House of Representatives held... — Updated 2/5/2021
Bill would establish office to investigate police use of force
Fred Thomas believes if an independent team had investigated his son’s death, the outcome would have been much different. In May 2013, 30-year-old Leonard Thomas was shot by Lakewood police sniper Brian Markert after a four-hour... — Updated 1/27/2021
Unlawful calls to police get scrutiny
A person who unlawfully summons the police on someone could face a civil action lawsuit under a proposed law that is gaining traction in the Legislature. Senate Bill 5135 would allow an individual to pursue civil action against a... — Updated 1/27/2021
State patrol, National Guard will secure capitol campus ahead of inauguration
Hundreds of officers from the Washington State Patrol and the National Guard will continue to surround the Capitol Campus in Olympia through the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis said the... — Updated 1/22/2021
Bill promotes automatic right to vote for people released from prison
Formerly incarcerated people would automatically regain their right to vote if a proposed bill in the Washington State Legislature is approved. Rep. Tarra Simmons (D-Bremerton), the first formerly incarcerated person to serve in... — Updated 1/21/2021
Use of police force elicits emotional testimony
A proposed ban on the use of chokeholds, unleashed K-9 dogs and other use-of-force tactics by law enforcement is just the beginning of an effort by several state lawmakers to address police violence and its impact on marginalized... — Updated 1/19/2021
Policing, racial injustice, governor's power on Legislative agenda
This year's legislature won't just be about numbers and budgets: it will explore social inequities, the proper role of policing and just how much authority the governor is due. Gov. Jay Inslee said his budget proposal specifies... — Updated 1/14/2021
Security increased for Legislature's opening day
Increased security is now expected around the Capitol building in Olympia on Jan. 11 for the start of the 2021 Legislative session. The decision to add security follows the... — Updated 1/14/2021
Memo documents official order for extreme vetting at border
In a bulletin issued by the tactical analytical unit (TAU) in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Seattle Field Office, officers were instructed to conduct vetting on all individuals who met certain criteria, including being... — Updated 1/8/2021
Border crackdown on Iranians a local initiative, whistleblower says
A Blaine-area Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer says the recent "extreme vetting" of travelers with Iranian backgrounds occurred under the direction of Blaine port... — Updated 1/8/2021
Lawmakers move to limit companies that trade your data
Washington lawmakers have proposed groundbreaking legislation that aims to give consumers more control over their digitally-collected personal data and image. Senate Bill 6281, or the Washington Privacy Act, would allow consumers t... — Updated 1/8/2021
House passes bill to expand court-ordered gun confiscation
Courts could be one step closer to ordering people subject to vulnerable adult protection orders to surrender their firearms after the House voted 55 to 42 on Friday, Feb. 14 in favor of a bill that expands authority to do so.... — Updated 1/8/2021
ICE facility expansion gets thumbs down in the House
Expansion of an Immigration Customs Enforcement detention center in Tacoma is now in doubt following a vote in the state House of Representatives. House Bill 2640, which passed the House 85 to 12, asserts the privately owned... — Updated 1/8/2021
Expanded protections for workers, minorities headed for approval
Several bills that expand protections for workers and minorities are headed for Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for approval. House Bill 2567, which would outlaw arrests for civil matters at court houses unless there is a warrant issued,... — Updated 1/8/2021
Attorney General Bob Ferguson Sues Vape Company Juul
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a consumer protection lawsuit Sept. 2 against the e-cigarette company Juul, asserting that the company's products and marketing... — Updated 12/9/2020
Proposed ban on for-profit detention facilities passes Senate
Washington prison inmates won’t be transferred to private out-of-state prisons under a proposal now under consideration by the state Legislature. Senate lawmakers voted 30 to 18 to move the bill along. Senator Rebecca Saldaña,... — Updated 2/20/2020
Solitary confinement for juveniles called inhumane
Solitary confinement as a form of punishment in juvenile detention facilities is should be banned, lawmakers say. “Nationally, there’s a growing consensus that solitary confinement is both unconstitutional and inhumane, and in... — Updated 2/12/2020
Lawmakers move to ban high-capacity magazines
Gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition would be outlawed under a proposed law moving through the state Senate. Supporters cite safety concerns, while opponents... — Updated 2/12/2020
Senate moves to kill death penalty
The death penalty would no longer be a sentencing option in Washington state if lawmakers enact a bill passed by the Senate on Friday, Jan. 31. Senate Bill 5339 has bipartisan support to eliminate the death penalty — a... — Updated 2/12/2020
More options for treatment proposed for drug offenders
More people convicted of some crimes would be eligible for treatment in lieu of prison sentences if bills moving throught the Legislature become law. Senate Bill 6211 was heard by the Law and Justice Committee in an executive sessi... — Updated 2/7/2020
Blaine crunches data for traffic infraction enforcement
The Blaine Police Department, with assistance from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), plans to use more data to target its traffic enforcement activities, in an... — Updated 1/1/2020
