Lawmakers in Olympia on verge of major policing overhaul
GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press
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FILE - In this June 6, 2014, file photo, Seattle Police SWAT team officers stand behind an armored vehicle in Seattle s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Lawmakers are on the cusp of overhauling policing and police accountability in Washington state, acting with unusual urgency to curb bad behavior by officers following last year s turbulent protests for racial justice.Ted S. Warren/AP
SEATTLE (AP) Lawmakers are on the cusp of overhauling policing and police accountability in Washington state, acting with unusual urgency to curb bad behavior by officers following last year’s turbulent protests for racial justice.
A guide to Washington s 2021 legislative session
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The capitol building in Olympia, Washington. @ Didier Marti/Getty Images
Amid a background of civil unrest that led Gov. Jay Inslee to activate the National Guard for safety, the Washington state legislature commenced last week for their 2021 session.
Despite the in-person first gathering in Olympia, lawmakers agreed to rules to hold a mostly remote 2021 session due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 98-member House of Representatives will move to mostly virtual meetings, while the Senate will take a hybrid approach will some members appearing at the Capitol.
The state s response to the pandemic will likely dominate the early months of this session as lawmakers chart an economic recovery, but other high-profile issues also at hand.