WA Dems Push ‘Hate Crime-Bias’ Bill Complete with ‘Snitch Line’

Not sure where they are going to end up, but a pair of Democrat sponsored bills in the WA state legislature appear to be rather Orwellian in nature.

  Bills would set up hate or bias crime reporting hotline for private citizens

According to The Center Square, and other sources, Senate Bill 5427 takes the state's definition of a 'hate or bias' crime and escalates it. The bill, if it were to pass, would set up a hotline where private citizens could report someone they allegedly think has committed such a crime, and it would potentially pay up to $2,000 to the person reporting it.

According to The Center Square, supporters of the bill say it's not 'reward' money but would be used to pay for damages incurred by the injured party.

According to The Center Square:

"Although it acknowledges bias incidents are “noncriminal,” the bill treats them in a similar manner as a hate crime, which is a Class C felony. The hotline would take calls for both, and law enforcement agencies are directed to refer people subject to both a hate crime and/or a bias incident to the hotline."

Opponents of the bill say it would run into serious legal issues because it would infringe upon a person's freedom of speech.  Opponents say there's nothing to prevent a person from calling the hotline and reporting another person with whom they don't agree with politically, culturally or societally.

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The AG's office would be required to keep a database of the calls and reports. According to the WA State legislative website, the Senate Bill had been scheduled for a committee vote February 23rd, but apparently no action was taken. The House companion bill, HB 1410 was referred to the House Civil Rights and Judiary Committee but never received a public hearing.

Usually, these events indicate the bill is 'dead,' but no bills are truly dead until the legislature concludes it's session for 2023.