OLYMPIA — The 2019 legislative session ended April 28. Here are some key issues from this session:
Rape kit backlog: A sexual assault kit is physical evidence collected from a victim after the assault. The Washington State Patrol Crime Lab has a backlog of around 10,000 kits. The bill includes a victim’s bill of rights, money to hire additional lab technicians and tighter timelines for future rape kit testing.
Removing statute of limitations on sex crimes: There will be no statute of limitations for most sex crimes against minors and, an extended statute of limitations for rape. The statute of limitations is the length of time after a crime is committed that legal action or prosecution can be taken. The legislation also changes the burden of proof for consent to the defendant for the charge of rape in the third degree. Previously, the victim had to prove they had not consented.
Tobacco 21: It will be illegal to purchase tobacco if you are under the age of 21, effective Jan. 1, 2020. However, it will be legal on tribal lands in Washington for those 18 to 20 to purchase tobacco products since tribal lands are under federal law.
Daylight Savings: Legislation to move Washington to year-round daylight savings time is headed to Gov. Inslee’s desk.
Dog breed profiling: Gov. Inslee is expected to sign a bill into law where effective Jan. 1, it will be illegal for municipal governments to ban certain dogs based solely on breed, unless using a reasonable exemption process.
Composting human remains: Effective in May 2020, funeral directors will be allowed to compost human remains if requested.
Firearm seizure: Law enforcement officers will seize all firearms and ammunition from a home when a domestic violence offense
has occurred, including any guns in sight or discovered during a lawful search. The guns will be held for five days as a “cool-off” period.
Vaccines: The Legislature passed a bill to remove the personal exemption to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine while leaving both the religious and medical exemptions intact.
Clean Energy: A sweeping clean energy bill will require all utility companies in the state to provide 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2045.
Didn’t pass:
Sex Ed standards: A comprehensive K-12 sex education bill requiring public schools to teach medically and scientifically accurate, comprehensive sexual health education at an age-appropriate level was approved in the Senate but never came up for a vote in the House of Representatives, which halted it dead.
Statewide plastic bag ban: Also didn’t progress.
For more information on the bills being signed into law over the coming weeks visit: https://www.governor.wa.gov/office-governor/official-actions/bill-action
— WNPA Olympia bureau chief Sandy Stokes contributed reporting
