H-0770.1

HOUSE BILL 1586

ByRepresentatives Goodman, Doglio, Lekanoff, and Pollet

AN ACT Relating to requiring the criminal justice training commission to establish a work group and grant program related to vehicular pursuits; adding new sections to chapter 43.101 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By June 30, 2023, the commission shall convene a work group to develop legislative policy recommendations related to vehicular pursuits by law enforcement.

(2) The work group must be comprised of stakeholders representing the following:

(a) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs;

(b) The Washington state patrol;

(c) The Washington state fraternal order of police;

(d) The Washington council of police and sheriffs;

(e) The Washington state patrol troopers association;

(f) The international brotherhood of teamsters, local 117;

(g) The Washington traffic safety commission;

(h) The Washington federation of state employees;

(i) Families who have lost loved ones as a result of interactions with law enforcement;

(j) An organization advocating for civil rights;

(k) A statewide organization advocating for Black Americans;

(l) A statewide organization advocating for Hispanic Americans;

(m) A statewide organization advocating for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians;

(n) The governor's office of Indian affairs;

(o) A community organization from eastern Washington advocating for police accountability;

(p) A community organization from western Washington advocating for police accountability; and

(q) A community organization serving persons who are unhoused.

(3) The work group shall consider the following factors when developing its legislative policy recommendations:

(a) Circumstances where vehicular pursuits should be justified;

(b) Circumstances where peace officers should consider the use of tactics other than engaging in a vehicular pursuit;

(c) Procedures and tactics for officers engaged in a vehicular pursuit;

(d) Technology that may aid in effectively managing vehicular pursuits;

(e) Responsibilities of the primary responding unit;

(f) Supervision of vehicular pursuits;

(g) The threshold for terminating a vehicular pursuit;

(h) Communication and coordination during interjurisdictional vehicular pursuits; and

(i) Attention and response to injured persons.

(4) By December 1, 2023, the commission shall submit a report containing its legislative policy recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature, and publish the report on its website.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By October 31, 2023, the commission shall, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, develop and implement a vehicular pursuit technology grant program for the purpose of providing modern vehicular pursuit management technology to local law enforcement agencies including, but not limited to, global positioning system tracking technology, automated license plate reading technology, and nonarmed and nonarmored drone technology.

(2) The commission shall establish policies for applications under this section in addition to criteria for evaluating and selecting grant recipients. Grants must be awarded to local law enforcement agencies based on locally developed proposals. A proposal must include a request for specific technology and a specific plan for the implementation and use of that technology.

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