This Legislative session seemed like mostly bad news – tax increases, budget woes and a rough economy were overwhelming. However, it is a mistake to miss that this was the best public safety session in decades.
We strengthened laws to prohibit counties from engaging in “booking bail” – letting offenders out on bail without seeing a judge. We increased benefits for families of our fallen officers and put a constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall to allow judges to deny bail to violent offenders. There are many improvements for public safety, law enforcement and our communities.
The police killings last year were horrific events, and we did much to keep them from happening again. As the chair of the House Public Safety Committee, I worked extensively with my legislative colleagues, police groups, prosecutors, judges, victims’ rights advocates, and the family members to advance solid proposals that will give our law enforcement officers new tools to keep the community – and themselves, safe.
After examining the Lakewood case, we found gaps in how we handle criminals. My goal as chair was to ensure that we passed workable laws that would make a real difference on the street and in the courtroom. I am proud of the accomplishments this session.
First among the critical pieces of legislation passed this year was House Joint Resolution 4220 – a proposed constitutional amendment on bail. Passed overwhelmingly, it would allow judges to deny bail when an offender faces a class A felony charge. This would have allowed a judge to keep Maurice Clemmons in jail, rather than releasing him on bail. This common-sense piece of legislation is backed by police, prosecutors, victim’s rights advocates, and judges. Now you will get to vote on it in November to make it law.
Another bill dealing with the bail system was House Bill 2625, which bans the practice of booking bail – allowing people accused of crimes to get out on standardized bail without seeing a judge, as Maurice Clemmons did. This bill requires that a person must see a judge before being released. In addition, this legislation also provides the courts with guidance on what conditions a judge needs to consider while deciding if denying bail will more adequately protect the public.
Another glaring issue with the Clemmons case and others was family members rendering criminal assistance. Under the old law, a family member helping such a criminal could only be convicted of a gross misdemeanor. Under Senate Bill 6293, a family member providing criminal assistance can now be sentenced to up to a class B felony.
Another victory was House Bill 2534 – the most drastic change to sex offender monitoring laws since the program was created. Under the old rules, offenders were required to physically go to a fixed location once each 90 days to check in. Under HB 2534, law enforcement will instead make unannounced visits of offender’s homes or places of work to ensure that they are where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be there. A pilot program last year resulted in 982 new arrests of sex offenders for failing to properly register or new sex offenses. Police also got 3,886 new DNA samples from sex offenders. Making this program permanent will ensure that sex offenders now know that someone is watching them.
There were other important pieces of criminal justice legislation this session, but one last example is HB 2519, which increases benefits paid to families of fallen officers. Police encounter danger to keep us safe. They accept that risk. It’s important that we care for their families if they lose their lives protecting ours. HB 2519 also waives tuition for the children of fallen officers. Additionally, it removes a requirement that an officer serve ten years before being able to receive benefits – allowing police to go into harm’s way, knowing that their families will be cared for without them.
This is just part of the monumental criminal justice legislation that passed this session. A lot of hard work by members of both parties made it happen. I am proud of my committee members who toiled long hours on these important issues. Partisan politics never came up. Sometimes in Olympia, the news all seems bad, and cooperation rare. Not true with public safety. Police, prosecutors and judges, now have important new tools to keep our families and communities safe because of our work this year.
State Rep. Christopher Hurst represents the 31st Legislative District. He is chair of the House Public Safety Committee and worked as a police detective for 25 years.
