OLYMPIA, Wash — A state House committee passed two bills Thursday morning related to Washington state's police pursuit laws.
The House Community Safety, Justice, and Re-Entry Committee passed HB 1363, which would give police who have reasonable suspicion the authority to pursue someone accused of a violent crime, a sexual crime, vehicular assault, escape, DUI, and domestic violence calls.
This would change the existing law, passed in 2021, that only allows for the pursuit of DUI suspects with reasonable suspicion and only allows for pursuits with probable cause for violent, sexual, and escape charges.
This was a substitute bill to the original HB 1363, which would have allowed pursuits for any crimes, as long as an officer had reasonable suspicion a crime had been committed.
Teresa Taylor, executive director of the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, said she was "disappointed" with the substitute bill, which she said was a watered-down version of the original.
Taylor said she would have liked crimes like theft and car theft added to the list.
But she said she was grateful a majority of committee members voted to keep the issue alive in Olympia.
"I want to commend them for what was clearly a tough vote for many of them," said Taylor.
Her organization, along with others representing law enforcement, cities, retailers, and crime victims had been calling for a full rollback of the pursuit law.
State Sen. John Braun, R-Lewis County, called the bill a "much-reduced effort" of what the state needs to do with police pursuits, but he said he was pleased the bill passed, keeping the issue up for debate as the session continues.
In a written statement from the Executive Director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, Steven Strachan said he was pleased the committee passed HB 1363.
"This important legislation will fix the 2021 law that severely limited law enforcement’s ability to pursue fleeing suspects. The 2021 law has hampered the investigation of crimes and contributed to increased crime," said Strachan.
Sonia Joseph was in the hearing room for Thursday's debate and vote.
She fought for the original restrictions after her son, Giovonn Joseph-McDade was shot and killed by Kent police in 2017. Joseph-McDade had been pulled over for having expired tabs and was shot and killed after he drove away and later drove towards officers, said Kent police.
Joseph said the bill she helped get passed has saved lives and she hopes legislators remember that.
"As a grieving mother, there is my side too. That's the side of the victims that have lost lives," said Joseph. "Pursuits are dangerous, not just for the suspects, but bystanders, and for law enforcement."
Had the bill failed to pass out of committee by Friday, it would have been dead for this legislative session.
However, if HB 1363 passes, the changes will expire in July, thanks to the other bill that was passed Thursday.
HB 1586 also made it through the committee, which would call on the Washington Justice Training Commission to establish a work group by June 30. That committee would study the issue of pursuits and come up with a permanent policy for agencies by December.