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Senate panel backs substitute for bill restricting law‑enforcement face coverings after lengthy debate
Summary
After extended debate over multiple amendments, the Senate Law and Justice Committee adopted a proposed substitute to SB 5,855 (face coverings) and sent it to the Rules Committee with a due‑pass recommendation. Debate focused on exceptions for medical and weather protection, federal agents, and whether discipline should be through the Criminal Justice Training Commission.
The Senate Law and Justice Committee on Jan. 15 voted to advance a proposed substitute to Senate Bill 5,855, a measure that would generally prohibit law‑enforcement officers in Washington from wearing masks except in defined circumstances and would allow civil suits by people detained by unlawfully masked federal officers.
Sen. Ashley Valdez, sponsor of the substitute, framed the proposal as a transparency and trust measure: “This is about trust and transparency,” Valdez said, noting more than 14,000 people signed in in favor at the committee hearing. The substitute retains exceptions aimed at protecting officers from hazardous environmental conditions and clarifies…
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