Work still to do as Gov. Inslee signs landmark police bills

May 18, 2021

SEATTLE—Today, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed nine bills on police tactics and accountability.

The Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance released the following statement.

These bills mark a potential sea change in how police in Washington interact with people in communities they’re hired to serve—especially Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color. No more choking. No more deadly force except as a last resort. Deadly force will be independently investigated. Excessive force by one cop must be stopped by another, and its cause for decertification.

These and other measures are the result of residents throughout the state demanding an end to abuse at the hands of law enforcement and systems that should be there to protect us. Thousands upon thousands of people called, wrote, texted and testified.

But this is, for now, potential. The Governor’s signature today makes these bills into laws. These laws must now be enforced. That’s up to police and prosecutors, judges and juries, administrators and adjudicators. And it’s up to us.

The people of Washington got these bills passed, and the people of Washington stand vigilant to ensure they’re carried out.

The following bills (with summaries of their intent) were signed today.

• HB 1054: Police can not choke us until we are dead.

• HB 1267: When deadly force is used, it will be independently investigated. Statewide.

• SB 5259: There will be a statewide database recording police use-of-force incidents.

• SB 5135: Police cannot be summoned to intimidate or discriminate against us.

• HB 1310: Deadly force must be the absolute last resort and only used when there is an imminent threat to bodily harm.

• SB 5051: Police officers should be decertified for using excessive force.

• SB 5066: When an officer sees another officer use excessive force, they must intervene.

• HB 1088: There must and will be real transparency on police misconduct and complaints.

• HB 1140: Juvenile right to counsel. No illegal questioning of our youth by law enforcement.