Today’s action is from our friends at Washington Coalition for Police Accountability.
GOOD NEWS. Our four priority bills have passed through the policy committees! The next stops for the bills are fiscal committees. Please encourage all of your networks to take action with these easy next steps. These requests are broken down into three categories:
#1 SIGN IN PRO FOR THESE THREE BILLS:
SB 5533 – Model Vehicle Pursuit Policy – Ways & Means Committee
Bill summary: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5533&Year=2023&Initiative=false
Sign in PRO here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=30723&aId=151814&caId=21528&tId=3
SB 5572 – Traffic Safety for All Senate companion bill – Transportation Committee
Bill summary: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5572&Initiative=false&Year=2023
Sign in PRO here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=30786&aId=151716&caId=21508&tId=3
HB 1445 – AG Investigations and Reform – Appropriations Committee
Bill summary: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1445&Initiative=false&Year=2023
Sign in PRO here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=House&mId=30751&aId=151904&caId=21553&tId=3
#2 IT’S TIME TO TURN UP THE HEAT ON THE PURSUIT ROLLBACK BILL. Please email House committee members.
HB 1363 is scheduled for Executive Session next Tuesday, February 14. We ask you to email all members of the House Community Safety, Justice & Reentry committee and ask them to NOT pass HB 1363 out of committee.
Bill summary: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1363&Initiative=false&Year=2023
If passed, HB 1363 would give law enforcement almost unlimited discretion on when they can engage in vehicle pursuits. We know vehicle pursuits are a form of escalation and are inherently dangerous. Check out this excellent editorial published this week in the Tacoma News Tribune addressing police pursuits and bills in the legislature: https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/article272285918.html
Please write to all members of the CSJR committee, no later than Monday afternoon, and tell them you do NOT support HB 1363.
House Community Safety, Justice & Reentry Committee Members:
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
#3 PASS THESE BILLS OUT OF THEIR FISCAL COMMITTEES. Contact House committee members to voice your support.
-
HB 1025 – Access to Fairness: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?billnumber=1025&year=2023
-
HB 1579 – the Independent Prosecutor bill: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1579&Initiative=false&Year=2023
See below for the list of House Appropriations members. If you are meeting with any of these legislators, please let them know you support these bills. You can also email them all in one email and let them know that way.
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
You can read more about all of these bills on our website: https://www.washingtoncoalitionforpoliceaccountability.com
