Fighting for Statewide Police Reforms

CPC priorities

The CPC is committed to uplifting and amplifying the voices of our community in police accountability and reform across Washington State.

Working with the City of Seattle and other community groups, the CPC has identified twelve main areas we'll be fighting for during legislative session. 

Washington State Capitol Building

2023 State Legislative Advocacy

On 1/18/2023, the CPC voted to support the 4 paragraphs of RES 32076 the City of Seattle’s 2023 State Legislative Agenda that are directly related to policing. They also voted to support a 2023 CPC Legislative Statement of Values to guide the work of CPC staff in reviewing most policing-related bills.

2023 CPC Legislative Statement of Values

2023 Seattle City Council Legislative Priorities

  1. Enhanced authority for police chiefs to discipline officers, including the ability to lay off officers on the Brady List
  2. Ending qualified immunity for law enforcement. See prefiled bill HB 1025, sponsored by Rep. Thai
  3. Prohibit collective bargaining on topics related to discipline, appeals, subpoena authority, and
    state reforms about law enforcement
  4. Require police reforms that free local jurisdictions from having to negotiate and pay for
    accountability reforms, including body worn cameras
  5. Reform of civil service hearings and arbitration in law enforcement officer discipline cases
  6. Remove private arbitration as a route of appeal in law enforcement discipline cases
  7. Support for independent prosecutions of deadly use of force by law enforcement
  8. Extend employment in law enforcement, fire, and other public agencies to legal permanent
    residents and those with DACA status
  9. Expansion of law enforcement training for de-escalation and implicit bias
  10. Increased flexibility for civilian personnel to respond to 911 calls (referencing the CAHOOTS
    program)
  11. Reduce or eliminate city and county law enforcement involvement in immigration law
    enforcement
  12. Restrict local jurisdictions from honoring ICE detainers without a federal criminal warrants

Highlighted Bills

Bill Number Description Analysis
HB 1025 Creating a private right of action for harm from violations of the state Constitution or state law by peace officers. This bill allows victims of police violence (in person and property) and their families to sue for compensation for their injuries. Language should be added that cities and municipalities alone are note responsible for the fiscal burden of these settlements. As all law enforcement officers in the state are first trained by the state at the criminal justice training center, the state should share the burden of some or all of the costs associated with these lawsuits.
HB 1177 Creating a missing and murdered indigenous women and people cold case investigations unit. Legislation requested by the Attorney General's (AG) Office resulting from the WA Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force. In 2022, the task force unanimously recommended the legislature establish and fully fund a cold case investigations unit within the AG's Office. This legislation would create the cold case investigation unit to work with, and provide support to, federal, state, county, municipal, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
HB 1445 Concerning law enforcement and local corrections agency misconduct through investigations and legal actions. Allows the WA ATG to investigate and bring suit against law enforcement agencies to compel reforms where there are violations of constitutional policing and civil rights. WA ATG may investigate and bring suit for violations of the Washington Constitution (which has more protections than the US Constitution) or state law. SPD is currently under a federal consent decree that supersedes state oversight of their activities, however this bill will affect SPD once the consent decree is concluded. 
SB 5274 Expanding eligibility in certain public employment positions for lawful permanent residents. Expands eligibility to work in law enforcement to lawful permanent residents (not just citizens). It also removes the requirement to be able to read and write the English language for said positions.
SB 5259 Ensuring commerce and workplaces are safe from product theft. This legislation has four main impacts: (1) creates the organized retail theft task force to improve coordination and collaboration among law enforcement agencies. (2) Businesses that install physical security improvements to receive a Business and Occupation tax credit equal to the amount spent on improvements. BO tax credit may not exceed $3,000 in each calendar year. (3) Cannabis businesses that install physical security improvements of $3,000 or more to receive a reduced cannabis excise tax of 32% (standard cannabis excise tax is 37%). (4) Implements legal protections for staff who engage/intervene with individuals suspected of retail theft. 

Historical CPC State Legislative Advocacy

2022 CPC Legislative Advocacy

2021 CPC Legislative Advocacy