House and Senate Republicans in Olympia have unveiled a package of legislation they say will increase public safety, reduce crime, and put.
The Republican “Safe Washington” plan includes several House and Senate bills to address public safety issues across the state, including legislation aimed at fixing anti-police policies passed last year by majority Democrats. Spokane Valley’s Senator Mike Padden is the ranking member on the Senate Law and Justice Committee.
“Violent crime is at a 25-year high, murder is up 80 percent, aggravated assaults are up, rape is up. These policies are making Washington a dangerous place.”
Representative Gina Mosbrucker of Goldendale is the ranking member on the House Public Safety Committee.
“This is at a time when fear is at an all-time high in our communities – in our homes. When we started removing those important tools from law enforcement and allowing criminals to mock the system, this is the outcome.”
The Safe Washington plan includes solutions to the problems created by last year’s state Supreme Court’s Blake decision – a ruling that struck down Washington’s felony drug possession law. It also addresses the issues of violent gang and drug-related crimes, human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Additional bills would target retail theft and the theft of catalytic converters, and reform the state Department of Corrections.