Whitman County Gazette - Serving Whitman County since 1877

A key issue needing legislative action during this year’s session is public safety – and for good reason.

In recent years, Washington has seen an alarming increase in crime, some of it the result of recent laws passed by the Democratic majority in the Legislature that soften penalties for criminal behavior or makes it more difficult for law-enforcement officers to do their jobs to protect our communities.

The issue of vehicle pursuits by police is exhibit A. Democrats in the Legislature changed state law in 2021 in the form of House Bill 1054 by severely limiting the ability of officers...