OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington Coalition for Police Accountability members and citizens whose loved ones died in police encounters announced on Thursday they will back three police reform laws in the 2024 legislative session.
These include House Bill 1513, which would prohibit police from stopping drivers solely for infractions like broken headlights or expired registration tabs. House Bill 1445 would expand the Washington Attorney General Office’s authority to investigate law enforcement agencies, and House Bill 1579 would establish an independent prosecutor at the state level to make charging decisions regarding officers involved in deaths.
Tonya Isabell, whose cousin Charleena Lyles was shot and killed by Seattle police officers in 2017, said she plans on testifying in favor of all of the bills when legislators return to Olympia next January.
She has spent the last six years working to change state policing laws with the Washington Coalition for Police Accountability. The organization has backed bills limiting police chases, and prohibiting certain police tactics, like the chokehold.
“We need to bring about change, too many lives are being lost,” said Isabell.
She said the state should find another way to cite drivers for non-moving violations preventing traffic stops that can turn violent for drivers, officers, and passengers.
”We’ve got too many other things to focus on, rather than the tail lights or tabs expired. What about the person speeding or driving intoxicated? There’s a lot of crime going on out here," said Isabell.
She says the changes she's backing now are a tribute to her cousin Charleena Lyles, "because she has children and I don't want them to think that we gave up. We're not going to stop. We're going to keep going until we see change."
While the bills have the support of several Democrats, who control the majorities in the House and Senate, Republicans will not likely support any of those measures, said Senate Minority Leader Sen. John Braun, R-Lewis County.
Braun said some of the recent laws backed by coalition members, like limiting police chases, have helped cause a "ramp up" in crime.
Braun said the charging decisions of officers should be left up to local county prosecutors and as for the law prohibiting stops for mechanical problems with vehicles, "if you're going to have rules, you have to enforce them," said Braun.
The next legislative session starts in Jan. 2024.