RE: Voting Yes on SHB 1025
Dear Washington State House of Representatives Members:
The undersigned organizations fully support SHB 1025, and urge you to vote yes and pass it off the floor of the House of Representatives.
HB 1025 is necessary for Washingtonians to be able to use the protections and promises of the Washington State Constitution. Our state courts have said that in order for a person to bring a claim under the State Constitution, the legislature must first pass implementing legislation. HB 1025 is that legislation.
What HB 1025 does is provide access to our state courts for police misconduct that violates the Washington State constitution or key state laws. Right now, these families and victims bear the burden of the wrongs that have occurred. After the recent horrific killing of Tyre Nichols in Tennessee, his family now bears the costs of hospital bills, funeral expenses, the continuing costs of trauma, and financial support for his child – it's unfair. Victims of police violence shouldn’t also face financial hardships when their rights are violated. This bill places responsibility where it belongs: on the entity causing the harm. Under this law victims have the opportunity to receive compensation for the harms suffered and for medical bills and other expenses they have incurred.
We believe this accountability will improve relationships between communities and local governments. Legislators have stepped up to take the issue of police accountability seriously and yet there are local officials who have the daily responsibility for providing law enforcement services who have not done the same. There is a need for accountable partners, and until there is a mandate for accountability, we have no reason to believe behavior will change. SHB 1025 is key to this.
Thank you for voting yes on SHB 1025.
Sincerely,
A. Philip Randolph Institute Seattle Chapter
ACLU Washington
ADL (Anti-Defamation League)
Alliance for Gun Responsibility
APIC Spokane (Asian Pacific Islander Coalition - Spokane)
Asian Counseling and Referral Service
BIPOC ED Coalition of Washington State
CAIR WA (Council on American-Islamic Relations Washington Chapter)
Campaign to End Qualified Immunity
Campaign Zero
Clark County Justice Group
Columbia Legal Services
Disability Rights Washington
Everytown for Gun Safety
Faith Action Network
Food Lifeline
Fuse Washington
Galanda Broadman
Greater Spokane Progress
Hispanic Disability Support SWWA (Pasitos Gigantes)
I Did The Time
Indivisible Eastside
Indivisible Kirkland
Indivisible Vashon
Indivisible WA 08
Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW
Kent Black Action Commission
La Resistencia
Latino Advocacy
Latino Civic Alliance
League of Women Voters of Washington
MAPS AMEN (Muslim Association of Puget Sound)
Mi Centro
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America - Washington Chapter
Mothers for Police Accountability
NAMI Washington
National Police Accountability Project
Next Steps Washington
NWIRP (Northwest Immigrant Rights Project)
Olympia Indivisible
OneAmerica
Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington
Partners for Social Change
Peace Justice and Action League of Spokane
People Power Washington
Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates - Washington
Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho
Pro-Choice Washington
P4 (Proactive Persistent People for Progress)
Riveters Collective Justice System Committee
Seattle Community Police Commission
Seattle Indivisible
Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness
SEIU 775
SEIU 1199NW
Showing up for Racial Justice Vashon Maury Criminal Justice Action Team
Southwest Washington Equity Coalition
Spokane Community Against Racism
Strengthening Sanctuary Alliance
The Black Collective
The Washington Innocence Project
Thurston Gun Sense
Unidos of Snohomish County
Urban Indians Northwest
Vancouver for Peace
Wallingford Indivisible
Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Washington Coalition for Police Accountability
Washington Community Alliance
Washington Defender Association
Washington for Black Lives
Washington State Association for Justice
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