Washington could have a new hate crime hotline as early as 2025 thanks to a recently passed bill.
Senate Bill 5427, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle, successfully passed the state House on Wednesday with unanimous support from Democrats and largely Republican opposition. The bill stated that the attorney general’s office "shall oversee a hate crimes and bias incidents hotline staffed during business hours and dedicated to assisting people who have been targeted or affected by hate crimes and bias incidents."
The hotline would primarily "identify local service providers and culturally specific services" with a focus on "historically underserved communities." In addition, the office would establish an advisory committee with "diverse and inclusive representation" to provide advice and assistance.
The bill stated that a pilot hotline program must be developed and implemented in at least three Washington counties by July 2025 with the program available to all counties by January 2027. By July 2027, the attorney general’s office will be obligated to provide information regarding hate crimes and bias incidents reported to the hotline with an annual report available to the public.
It will now go to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk to be signed into law.
Senate Bill 5427 previously failed to pass the state Senate’s Ways and Means Committee in 2023 with critics attacking the bill as a "tattletale hotline" encouraging people to "cash in" on hate crimes based on one of the bill’s provisions.
"The attorney general's office may provide compensation to persons targeted or affected by hate crimes and bias incidents by authorizing expenditures from the Washington hate crime and bias incident account, established in section 3 of this act, up to a maximum of $2,000 per person targeted or affected by a specific hate crime or bias incident, subject to the availability of funds in the account and the requirements of this act," the original House bill read.
The latest Senate bill did not include references to compensation for "affected" persons.
Washington's lawmakers approved creating a category of hate crimes in 2019, which defined such a crime as one in which a perpetrator intentionally or maliciously causes physical harm to another person based on race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, nationality and other identities.
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According to the attorney general’s office, hate crimes are considered a Class C felony in the state punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine. Hate crime victims can also bring civil lawsuits against their perpetrators for damage compensation of up to $100,000 along with attorney fees.
