Through the Static

By Hannah Saunders

The February 3 House Community Safety Committee meeting pushed two bills forward but deferred one many Washingtonians were keeping their eyes on: House Bill 2641. It would have prevented law enforcement agencies from hiring certain federal employees, and although it will not move forward this session, democratic legislators are pushing to protect abuse survivors and proactively protect communities from ICE in other ways.

HB 2648 would require on-duty peace officers to record on their body-worn cameras and dash cams when engaging with federal agents who are conducting immigration enforcement activities. The peace officers must also report these encounters to their agencies.

“This bill is about proactive protection. It’s about preventing the chaos and fear and civil rights violations that can occur when an aggressive enforcement spirals out of control. It affirms that our communities deserve safety and justice, and that our law enforcement officers should be supported and empowered with the guidance necessary to maintain peace without becoming complicit in civil rights violations that will forever be on the wrong side of history.”

— Rep. Mary Fosse (D- Everett)

Rep. Fosse added how ICE agents have been circling schools, and that families are calling her office, frightened. Neighbors are already disappearing, including her own. TtS previously reported on how Everett resident Sarah Shaw and her six-year-old son were kidnapped and shipped to an ICE family detention camp in Texas. Rep. Fosse noted how in Minnesota, local officers are navigating interactions with federal agents and community protection, with residents being skeptical of who, if anyone, to trust.

“It ensures that officers better understand their responsibilities, helping them act confidently and appropriately, rather than being caught in that grey area that could lead to misconduct or community alienation,” Rep. Fosse added.

Rep. Jenny Graham (R- Spokane) said her “side” would be voting no, and pulled out a list of five pages that had the names of 122 people who were murdered and went unrecognized, citing a lack of riots or uproar. She said many people have family members who are naturalized citizens and she wholeheartedly supports them, adding how her future daughter-in-law is currently going through the “naturalized” process.

“She’s doing things the right way,” Rep. Graham declared.

Her son and his partner live in Florida, where they are “safe,” Rep. Graham said, because local law enforcement officials are engaging with federal officials, and that passing HB 2648 would pit officers against each other without offering any protection under federal law.

“This goes completely against what’s called real de-escalation for police standards and operations,” Rep. Brian Burnett (R- North Bend), chimed.

Despite Republican push back, the bill passed 6-3.

Providing relief to defendants who are domestic violence, human trafficking, or sexual assault survivors

The three key aspects of HB 1591 are providing sentencing alternatives for domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault survivors who become defendants. The bill would also allow the court to re-sentence survivors who are defendants for consistency with any sentencing alternatives, and it would allow for the vacation of conviction records.

“We want to provide opportunities for those who have been victims and survivors of sexual assault, partner violence, and human trafficking after they have been convicted of another criminal offense for an opportunity of a mitigated sentence. And then after they have served their time, the opportunity for vacating the record, and while they’re serving time, the opportunity for re-sentencing a possible reduction of a sentence.”

— Rep. Roger Goodman (D- Kirkland), Committee Chair

Rep. Goodman said HB 1591 applies to cases that can show a cause between being a survivor of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault, and becoming a defendant. Rep. Graham had a mixed stance on this issue.

If it comes to a survivor pushing back against the person who’s harming them, she sees no issues with it. But she sees issues with survivors potentially lashing out on innocent people and “run over someone on the side of the road because they’re angry,” she said.

The bill passed through committee by 7-2.

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