Washington Legislative Session - Summary of Laws Effecting Police
Many of the 2021 Legislative Session reform bills brought a renewed focus on policing and public safety, which was driven by national demands for social justice
and racial equity.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC), worked with many legislatures during the session. WASPC supported measures that believed brought our communities together and led to constructive improvement of the public service of law enforcement in our state.
A total of 335 bills were passed in this session, with several of them focused on policing.
Some of those bills involve mandated changes that will have a financial impact to the City. OSPD will work on tracking those expenses.
Overall, a lot of positive changes came out from the various bills passed. There are also a number of changes that will have some unintended consequences.
Many questions still exist with a number of the laws, and legislators are now recognizing the need for clarification. (this will not happen for 2 yrs without a special session)