AG Ferguson offers the following statement on the passage of Senate Bill 5427
OLYMPIA — Today, the Legislature adopted legislation sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle, creating a statewide hate crimes hotline in the Attorney General’s Office.
The bill, Senate Bill 5427, passed the House in a 56-39 vote. The Senate passed the bill in early February with a bipartisan 30-18 vote. It will now head to Gov. Inslee for his signature.
The legislation creates a hotline Washingtonians can contact to provide information and referrals to Washingtonians targeted by hate crimes.
Attorney General Ferguson offered the following statement:
“We must stand up to the hate crimes targeting Washington communities,” said Ferguson. “Creating this hotline will provide a centralized location for Washingtonians to report hate crimes and bias incidents. This will improve our state’s response to these incidents and increase public safety. I thank Sen. Valdez for his leadership on the hate crimes task force and for bringing forth this legislation, and for the many advocates who joined my office in supporting this policy.”
Under the legislation, the Attorney General’s Office will develop and test a pilot hotline to assist Washingtonians in at least three counties by July 1, 2025. By Jan. 1, 2027, the hotline must be active statewide. Once operational statewide, the Attorney General’s Office will publish an annual report regarding hate crimes and all bias incidents reported to it.
