House Democrats have approved a bill banning police officers from wearing face coverings while interacting with the public. Republicans say the policy could put officers and their families at risk. The bill could soon go to the governor.
Republicans opposed the Senate Bill 5855, warning it restricts a safety tool officers may need in volatile situations.
Representative Brian Burnett, a Republican from Wenatchee and a former Chelan County sheriff, says lawmakers should have worked with police leaders instead of imposing a statewide mandate.
“We could have got together with our local law enforcement leaders, our community members, and say, ‘How do we message that that’s not how we do it here in Washington state?'”
Burnett says face coverings can help protect officers from retaliation, harassment, and threats that can follow them home to their families.
Republican Representative Jim Walsh says the proposal could also create legal trouble for police departments.
“This bill is imprecise. It is structurally flawed. It creates a private right of action that will be a plaintiff attorney’s buffet, and it doesn’t make anyone safer.”
The Democrat-backed bill passed the House 56-37 with Republicans voting no.
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Washington State House Republican Communications