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The bill itself is not a huge reform of the police pursuit laws, but it's a start.

Committee votes to move bill forward

According to reports, including The Center Square, a WA State House Committee Tuesday voted during an executive session to forward a modified police pursuit bill.

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The bill, known as Engrossed Senate Bill 5352 (ESB) passed the House  House Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry Committee by a vote of 7-2.  It is considered engrossed because it's been modified, and it came out of the Senate and then to House for approval--it originated in the Senate.

According to The Center Square:

(SB  5352) "would allow police pursuits of those suspected of committing the most serious crimes, including a violent offense, a sex offense, domestic violence-related offenses, driving under the influence, and trying to escape arrest.

The legislation was passed with two amendments rolled into the bill: one would require a pursuing officer in a jurisdiction with fewer than 15 – rather than 10 – commissioned officers to request the on-call supervisor be notified of the pursuit, and the other would require officers to have training regarding whether it is safer to pursue a suspect or safer not to pursue a suspect."

Despite the passage, GOP legislators still consider this a watered-down bill that does not truly address the skyrocketing crime in WA state since Gov. Inslee's coveted package of police "reform" bills was passed and went into effect in the summer of 2021.

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