Latest news with #HouseBill1252
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2 bills aimed at improving community safety advance in WA State Legislature
The Brief A Washington bill that seeks to reform pre-trial release policies for both adults and juveniles, as well as enhance judicial accountability, has passed out of the House Community Safety Committee. The revised legislation mandates that judges provide a written explanation for their decisions regarding the pre-trial release of suspects who flee from law enforcement, are charged with violent crimes or have firearms offenses. OLYMPIA, Wash. - In a significant legislative development, House Bill 1252, which seeks to reform pre-trial release policies for both adults and juveniles as well as enhance judicial accountability, took a major step forward as it successfully passed out of the House Community Safety Committee with a commanding vote of 8 to 1. The backstory The revised legislation mandates that judges provide a written explanation for their decisions regarding the pre-trial release of suspects who flee from law enforcement, and for individuals charged with violent crimes or offenses involving firearms. Currently in Washington state, there is a presumption of release for defendants. After a preliminary court appearance, anyone charged with a noncapital offense should be released on personal recognizance pending trial. This presumption can be overcome though, if the court finds that the defendant is likely to fail to appear, commit a violent crime, or intimidate witnesses or interfere with justice. Before imposing bail, judges must consider less restrictive options. However, recent decisions by judges to release suspects pending trial for violent crimes have left family members of victims feeling frustrated. HB 1252 stipulates that judges can only order the release of these high-risk individuals on electronic home monitoring if such monitoring includes real-time oversight coupled with an immediate law enforcement response. "The electronic monitoring that is used by courts in the state of Washington for defendants pre-trial is not actually monitored. So, there is no real time monitoring and there is no real time response to anything, geographic restriction violation, curfew violation. About 10% of the time defendants cut the strap, no real time response," said Representative Lauren Davis (D-Seattle), who sponsored the bill. Local perspective She pointed to a horrific case in December, in which a 17-year-old, despite being under electronic monitoring, traveled after his curfew and disemboweled a 14-year-old boy in Snohomish County. "Electronic home monitoring creates a deceptive illusion of safety," said Davis. "What I'm striving to eliminate is the misguided belief that there exists a safe middle ground where a defendant charged with a violent or firearms-related offense can be released into the community." Proponents of the legislation assert that it will significantly bolster public safety, while opponents voice concerns that it could result in higher incarceration rates, particularly impacting juvenile offenders. Another public safety bill sponsored by Representative Davis was unanimously approved to move forward out of committee. House Bill 1668, which seeks to impose stricter penalties on felons who evade community custody requirements. This situation arises when individuals released from prison fail to report to their community corrections officer as mandated or violate the terms of their release. "There were only 78 convictions for escape even though there were 11,000 high level sanctions for the Department of Corrections," said Rep. Davis. Under the new provisions, the potential confinement period for such offenders who are convicted of escape from community custody would escalate from a minimum of 0 to 90 days to an average range of 14 to 18 months in prison. What you can do To comment on either of these bills, you can connect directly with your state legislator through the Washington State Legislature website. The Source Information in this story is from Washington State Legislature, Representative Lauren Davis (D-Seattle), and FOX 13 Seattle reporting. Politics: Lawmakers propose pay-by-mile charge for WA drivers Food: Starbucks phasing out plastic cups for cold drinks in WA, other states Local: IRS tax refund schedule 2025: What you need to know To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA lawmakers discussing bill to reform pre-trial release policies
The Brief Washington lawmakers are weighing House Bill 1252. The bill would reform how pre-trial releases are handled across the state. Some lawmakers say current policies endanger the public, while members of the ACLU argue the bill would do more harm than good. OLYMPIA, Wash. - The House Community Safety Committee convened Thursday to hear testimony on House Bill 1252, which aims to reform pre-trial release policies in Washington state. Sponsored by Rep. Lauren Davis, D-32, the bill seeks to make it more difficult for suspects who run from police to get out of jail and to increase judicial accountability. The bill would require judges to classify suspects who flee from police as public safety threats, granting them the authority to impose higher bail amounts. What they're saying "We have a small collection of judicial officers, primarily concentrated on the I-5 corridor who are routinely making pre-trial release decisions that, by any objective measure, by any reasonable predictability are reckless and dangerous. These judges are, in fact, abusing their discretion, and they are doing so in a manner that endangers innocent Washingtonians and the brave peace officers who work tirelessly to keep us safe," said Rep. Davis. Oftentimes, judges release defendants on personal recognizance or on low bail with Electronic Home Monitoring. Rep. Davis says that provides a false sense of security. Strap cuts are common and there is no real-time monitoring by law enforcement. Responses to violations, such as curfew breaches or device tampering, can take up to a day, leading to significant risks for the community. "We should not be sacrificing the safety of the entire community at the altar of liberty for one criminal defendant," she added. Big picture view Currently in Washington state, there is a presumption of release for defendants. After a preliminary court appearance, anyone charged with a noncapital offense should be released on personal recognizance pending trial. This presumption can be overcome though, if the court finds that the defendant is likely to fail to appear, commit a violent crime, or intimidate witnesses or interfere with justice. Before imposing bail, judges must consider less restrictive options. Local perspective However, recent decisions by judges to release suspects pending trial for violent crimes has left family members of victims feeling frustrated. "We've seen some judges claim to be part of quote, the resistance in a system quote, complicit and perpetuating oppression and seeking to speak quote, my truth as a judge. This kind of behavior only heightens the reason to simply require a judge to give a reason, at least allowing us to know why dangerous individuals are being released back into our communities," said James McMann of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs who supports the bill. The bill also received support from several local law enforcement leaders including Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders and Sumner Police Deputy Chief Andy McCurdy. "I understand that incarceration can often worsen situations but for individuals committing violent crimes who lack a support system, temporary detention is often the only way to prevent further harm until intervention and prevention resources can be effective implemented," said Chief McCurdy. He recounted a violent incident last year as an example. "We had two armed suspects who violently carjacked a woman at the Sumner Winco. They shot at bystanders. They shot one bystander in the head and severely injured the man who lost his eye and almost lost his eye as a result . After a lengthy manhunt with extensive resources, we finally got them in custody and then the judge quickly released one to the community. This sent the wrong message," said Chief McCurdy. Renton Police Chief Jon Schuldt also added his support after several violent suspects were released and have remained on the run, "Far too often, the judges are showing more empathy towards the suspects and minimizing the suspect's behavior at the expense of public safety." The other side Opposition to the bill came from civil rights advocates, including Jasmine Clark from the ACLU. She argued that the bill undermines the presumption of innocence and disproportionately affects marginalized communities. "This could lead to more juveniles held in detention, which studies have shown to have long-term negative effects on their development and rehabilitation," Clark cautioned. "This bill undermines the principle that individuals are innocent until proven guilty and disproportionately impacts marginalized communities who are more likely to encounter aggressive policing tactics." she added. Romana Brandise, representing the Washington Defender Association and the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, contended that the bill violates the separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislature. "This bill changes the presumption of release, conflicting with court rules established by the Supreme Court," she stated. What's next A committee vote on whether to move HB 1252 forward is expected this week. To comment on this proposed bill under consideration, please call or email your legislator directly. Details about commenting on legislation can be found here. You can also download House Bill 1252. The Source Information for this article comes from original FOX 13 reporting. Politics: Lawmakers propose pay-by-mile charge for WA drivers Food: Starbucks phasing out plastic cups for cold drinks in WA, other states Local: IRS tax refund schedule 2025: What you need to know To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WA lawmakers consider bill to enhance judicial accountability, bail requirements
The Brief A new Washington bill aims to tighten bail requirements for suspects who flee from police, along with increasing accountability among judicial officers. The push for the bill's passage comes in the wake of several high-profile cases in western Washington. The bill would require judges to classify suspects who flee from police as public safety threats, granting them the authority to impose higher bail amounts. OLYMPIA, Wash. - State lawmakers are considering a new bill aimed at tightening bail requirements for suspects who flee from police, as well as increasing accountability among judicial officers. This legislative session's developments come in the wake of several high-profile cases, including the tragic murder of 13-year-old Jayda Woods-Johnson at Alderwood Mall last summer. The suspect in Johnson's case, a 16-year-old, was initially permitted to post bond shortly after his arrest, leading to his release from jail. In response to this incident and others, House Bill 1252 has been introduced, which would mandate that judges provide a written explanation when setting bail lower than what the prosecution recommends. What they're saying "I really want judges to have to pause, to be thoughtful in those decisions, show their work and to show the public and the community that they are serving how in their minds public safety is going to be maintained with this particular defendant out in the community," said Representative Lauren Davis (D), the bill's sponsor, representing the 32nd Legislative District. Additionally, the bill would require judges to classify suspects who flee from police as public safety threats, granting them the authority to impose higher bail amounts. Davis says her fellow Democrats need to address the bleeding now. "I represent the 6th most liberal district in the state of Washington and I represent a part of Seattle. The number one issue that my constituents are concerned about is public safety. People don't feel safe and they have every right not to feel safe," said Davis. The bill was scheduled for a public hearing on Monday before the Public Safety Committee; however, technical difficulties postponed the session to next week. Among those slated to testify were Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders and Renton Police Chief Jon Schuldt, who recently sought clarification from King County Superior Court Judge Johanna Bender regarding her decision to release a hit-and-run homicide suspect on low bail, who is now evading law enforcement. "It's just a very poor use of resources to suggest you are going to let an individual out who has already demonstrated that they are going to run," said Davis. Sheriff Sanfers echoed this statement after arresting a career criminal on Tuesday. He said there is an issue of repeat offenders being released from custody who go on to commit more crimes. "You can see trends. When we start putting away some of our really high-profile criminals, crime starts to dip a little bit. And when they get released, it bounces back up. And it's just an ebb and flow of it that hasn't seemed to go away," said Sanders. "They're mocking our criminal justice system, they're mocking our judges, they're mocking the entire system." A man that has been arrested and booked into the Thurston County Jail 18 different times was taken into custody, and investigators recovered multiple guns inside the house. "He's been bitten by just about every K9 the sheriff's office has had in the last decade," said Sanders. It raised questions why someone with years of violent history continued to be released from custody and back on the streets. "They're going right back to re-offending the moment they get out of jail," said Sanders. "That's the issue that we're having with our pre-trial justice system. It's not very just. It's way over-weighting the balance and the need for the suspect to be out of custody over the predictable outcomes of releasing these people without any penalties." Before imposing bail, judges must consider less restrictive options. In Washington state, there is a presumption of release. After a preliminary court appearance, anyone charged with a noncapital offense should be released on personal recognizance pending trial. This presumption can be overcome though, if the court finds that the defendant is likely to fail to appear, commit a violent crime, or intimidate witnesses or interfere with justice. However, recent decisions by judges to release suspects pending trial for violent crimes has left family members of victims feeling frustrated. Davis says the public safety committee will also hear from the sister of Timothy Gerchmez, who was hit and killed in Renton. The suspect charged in his case, Urias Morales Perez, currently has a $200,000 felony warrant for his arrest after being released from custody with no electronic home monitor and failing to show up for a plea hearing. "If you have somebody who is known to engage and continue criminal conduct, flaunt the law, flaunt the orders of law enforcement, why are we releasing that person when they are legally able to hold them, and they're choosing not to?" said Davis. Sheriff Sanders said he would be among the leaders in law enforcement who will be voicing their support of the bill. "My hope is to convey some of these very real scenarios that have occurred just in my county," said Sanders. The Source Information in this story is from Representative Lauren Davis (D), Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders and FOX 13 Seattle reporting. What caused the dozen separate crashes on I-405 Tuesday morning? Seattle high school principal on leave after DUI, reckless endangerment arrest Patti Jackson named interim Tacoma police chief Washington lawmakers consider expanding free food for students Snohomish PUD customers to see higher electricity bills as rate hikes take effect Stolen mini donkeys located in Fall City, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
