Referred to the House Public Safety Committee on January 18, 2021
Substitute offered in the House on February 4, 2021
Establishes the Office of Independent Investigations within the Office of the Governor for the purpose of investigating deadly force incidents involving peace officers.
Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on February 9, 2021
Amendment offered by Rep. Debra Entenman (Kent) (D) on March 3, 2021
Modifies the provisions pertaining to the jurisdiction
of the Office of the Independent Investigations (OII) by providing
that the OII's authority to investigate deadly force cases applies to any incident involving deadly force by an involved officer
against or upon a person who is in-custody or out-of-custody.
Provides that "in-custody" refers to a person who is under the
physical control of a general authority Washington law enforcement
agency, a limited authority Washington law enforcement agency, or a
city, county, or regional adult or juvenile institution,
correctional, jail, holding, or detention facility.
Provides that the OII's system and requirements for involved
agencies to send notifications to the OII must include direction to
agencies as to what incidents of force and injuries and other
circumstances must be reported to the OII, including the timing of
such reports, provided that any incident involving substantial
bodily harm, great bodily harm, or death is reported to the OII
immediately. Modifies the requirement for the OII Advisory Board to conduct
an assessment as to whether the jurisdiction of the OII should be
expanded by requiring the OII to assess whether this expansion
should include other types of in-custody deaths not involving use of
force but otherwise involving criminal acts committed by involved
officers (rather than in-custody deaths involving criminal acts
committed by involved officers generally).
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 3, 2021
Amendment offered by Rep. Brad Klippert (Benton) (R) on March 3, 2021
Strikes all provisions in the underlying bill establishing the Office of Independent Investigations and related requirements. Instead, provides the following:
(1) Establishes legislative findings.
(2) Establishes the Washington Deadly Force Investigations Agency (WDFIA) as a department of state government. Provides that the WDFIA is a limited law enforcement agency with the sole function of conducting completely independent investigations of any use of deadly force by a peace officer resulting in death, substantial bodily harm, or great bodily harm.
(3) Provides that the WDFIA is governed by a board of 15 voting members and one nonvoting member representing specified entities or interests and who are appointed by the Governor or serve in an ex officio capacity. Provides requirements and procedures for appointments, terms, vacancies, compensation, meeting operations, and election of a chair and vice chair.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on March 3, 2021
Amendment offered by Rep. Brad Klippert (Benton) (R) on March 3, 2021
Requires personnel involved in investigations conducted by the Office of Independent Investigations to receive training on the use of a racial equality lens in conducting their work, rather than the use of a racial equity lens in conducting their work.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on March 3, 2021