Tag Archives: Senate Law and Justice Committee

2025 session underway

January 29, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Greetings from Olympia, where the Legislature is in its third week of this year’s 105-day session.

During this “long” session, the Legislature’s main responsibility will be to develop and approve new two-year state operating, capital and transportation budgets. However, those budget proposals won’t be released by the House and Senate until later in the session, which ends April 27.

The first week of the session featured many long-standing traditions. The opening day, January 13, included swearing-in ceremonies for new and reelected senators. A day later, outgoing Governor Jay Inslee gave his final State of the State Address to a joint session of the Legislature.

One day after Inslee’s last speech as governor, new Governor Bob Ferguson delivered his inaugural address before another joint gathering. Contrary to Inslee’s speech, Ferguson’s address was generally well-received on both sides of the aisle. In fact, he mentioned me during his speech, touting a bill I’ve advocated for years that would help make Washington communities safer by adding more law-enforcement officers. (More about that later.)

Once the ceremonies and speeches were behind us, my fellow legislators and I got down to business. The Senate has 12 policy committees and two fiscal committees, each focused on specific policy areas. This phase of the session has us spending much of our time in committee meetings, holding public hearings on Senate bills that have been sent to these panels.

We will be in this committee phase until late February, with Senate policy committees having a February 21 deadline to pass Senate bills, while the Senate fiscal committees (Transportation, and Ways and Means) have until February 28 to approve Senate bills.

When we’re not in committee meetings, we typically are meeting with constituents, other legislators and staff. We have yet to spend much time on the “floor” of the Senate chamber; that will happen far more often later, when we debate and vote on bills that were passed by Senate committees. 

         

Senator Holy discusses a bill during a Law and Justice Committee meeting.

My Senate committee assignments

I am serving on three Senate committees this session. I was appointed Republican leader on the Senate Law and Justice Committee, and I’m continuing to serve on the Senate’s Health and Long-Term Care, and Transportation committees.

Senate committee passes Holy bill to hire more law-enforcement officers

Washington ranks among the worst states in several categories, including murders, auto theft and retail theft. A key reason is that we also rank 51st nationally – dead last – for the number of law-enforcement officers per capita. As a retired police officer, I know we need more officers in our communities and on our roads.

That is why I have re-introduced a bipartisan bill this year to improve public safety by increasing the number of law-enforcement officers in Washington communities.

Senate Bill 5060 would have the state Criminal Justice Training Commission develop and implement a grant program to help local and tribal governments hire law-enforcement officers. A $100 million appropriation from the state general fund would support the grant program.

SB 5060 also would require the CJTC to establish policies for grant applications from local agencies, including review criteria and reporting requirements from local governments, and annually report on the grant program’s utilization, application and hiring data.

The bill was passed last week by the Senate Law and Justice Committee. It now is before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Before approving the measure, the Law and Justice Committee adopted an amendment offered by Senator Manka Dhingra, the committee chair.

I’ve introduced this bill in past sessions only to see it fall short, but I am more optimistic this time around – because during his inaugural address to legislators early this session, Governor Ferguson said he would not sign a new operating budget if it did not provide the $100 million in funding for this program. It is encouraging that he has publicly supported this bill, as his predecessor would not. The governor not only understands the need to increase the number of law-enforcement officers in our state but he also believes the best route is through this proposed grant program.

Another of my bills to increase public safety is Senate Bill 5285. It would create a revenue source to hire more law-enforcement officers.

Other 2025 bills introduced by Senator Holy

  • Senate Bill 5286 would establish a community partnership program between the Department of Social and Health Services and the city of Medical Lake to support community policing efforts at and near Eastern State Hospital. It received a public hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Tuesday.
  • Senate Bill 5306 would make a change to the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter System Plan 2 (LEOFF 2) helpful to members who go on an authorized leave of absence – an example being military duty – that could affect their service credit. The Senate Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on the bill last week.

Senator Holy with Lainey Tillman, who served as a Senate page during the 2024 legislative session.

Looking for Senate page applicants!

If you know a teenager who would like to spend a week in Olympia working at the Capitol, let them know about the Senate Page Program. Applications are still being taken. The application form is here. As a state senator, I can sponsor several Senate pages during the legislative session, so I encourage interested teens to apply for this fun and interesting experience.

Senate pages help senators and their offices and deliver messages to members on the Senate floor. Pages attend and participate in Page School, where they learn more about how the Legislature works. Pages earn a stipend of $65 a day and can earn up to 20 hours of community service.

Pages must be 14 to 16 years old at the time they participate in the program, and they must attend a school in Washington or be homeschooled in our state. To be a page, students must receive approval and recommendation from their teacher and principal. (This requirement is waived for homeschooled students.)

The page program is a great way for Washington teens to see the Legislature in action and to meet other students from around the state.

For more information about the Senate Page Program, please go here. You can also email the page program at SenatePageProgram@leg.wa.gov if you have questions.

Let me know if I can help

If you have any questions, or have a problem with a state agency and need help resolving it, please contact me. You can email me at jeff.holy@leg.wa.gov or call my office at 360-786-7610.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your 6th District state senator.

Sincerely,

Senate panel passes Holy bill to help hire more law-enforcement officers

A bipartisan bill prime-sponsored by Sen. Jeff Holy to increase public safety by boosting the number of law-enforcement officers in Washington communities was approved by the Senate Law and Justice Committee today.

Senate Bill 5060 would have the state Criminal Justice Training Commission develop and implement a grant program to help local and tribal governments hire law-enforcement officers. A $100 million appropriation from the state general fund would support the grant program.

“It’s good to see this bill move forward because crime is a growing problem in our state,” said Holy, R-Cheney. “Washington ranks among the worst states in several categories, including murders, auto theft and retail theft. A key reason is that we also rank 51st nationally for the number of law-enforcement officers per capita. As a retired police officer, I know we need more officers in our communities and on our roads.”

Holy, the Republican leader on the Law and Justice Committee, said he appreciates recent public comments by Gov. Bob Ferguson in support of the measure.

“During his inaugural address to legislators last week, Governor Ferguson said he would not sign a new operating budget if it did not provide the $100 million in funding for this program. It’s a clear signal that he not only understands the need to increase the number of law-enforcement officers in our state but also believes the best route is through this proposed grant program. It’s all about making our communities safer,” said Holy, who represents the 6th Legislative District.

SB 5060 also would require the CJTC to establish policies for grant applications from local agencies, including review criteria and reporting requirements from local governments, and annually report on the grant program’s utilization, application and hiring data.

Before approving the measure, the committee adopted an amendment offered by Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, chair of the Law and Justice Committee.

Several people testified in support of SB 5060 during the Law and Justice Committee’s public hearing on the proposal Tuesday morning, including officials from the governor’s office, city of Tacoma, Washington Retail Association, and the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Mercer Island Mayor Salim Nice also testified in favor of the bill.

The measure is co-sponsored by Dhingra and 11 other senators, Republicans and Democrats alike.

TVW’s coverage of the public hearing on SB 5060 may be viewed here.

 

MEDIA ADVISORY: Senate panel to hear Holy bill seeking $100 million to help hire more law-enforcement officers

A bipartisan bill prime-sponsored by Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, to increase public safety by boosting the number of law-enforcement officers in Washington communities will receive a public hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Senate Bill 5060 would have the state Criminal Justice Training Commission develop and implement a grant program to help local and tribal governments hire law-enforcement officers. A $100 million appropriation from the state general fund would support the grant program.

The Law and Justice Committee meeting on Tuesday will be held in Senate Hearing Room 4 in the John A. Cherberg Building on the Capitol Campus in Olympia.

The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, chair of the Law and Justice Committee, and 11 other senators, Republicans and Democrats alike.

Gov. Bob Ferguson has publicly expressed support for the proposal introduced by Holy, who is the ranking Republican on the Law and Justice Committee.

Holy bill seeks $100 million to help hire more law-enforcement officers

Sen. Jeff Holy, the new Republican leader on the Senate Law and Justice Committee, has introduced a bipartisan bill ahead of the 2025 legislative session that aims to increase public safety by boosting the number of law-enforcement officers in Washington communities.

Holy’s proposal, Senate Bill 5060, would have the state Criminal Justice Training Commission develop and implement a grant program to help local and tribal governments hire law-enforcement officers. A $100 million appropriation from the state general fund would support the grant program.

“Crime is a growing problem in our state,” said Holy, R-Cheney. “Washington ranks among the worst states in several categories, including murders, auto theft and retail theft. A key reason is that we also rank 51st nationally for the number of law-enforcement officers per capita.

“As a retired police officer, I know we need more officers in our communities and on our roads,” said Holy, who serves the 6th Legislative District. “One of Governor-elect Ferguson’s campaign pledges this year was to increase the number of law-enforcement officers in our state – via a statewide grant program. I strongly agree with him on this issue, which is why I’m again sponsoring a bill that would add more officers throughout Washington. This could really help make our communities safer.”

SB 5060 also would require the CJTC to establish policies for applications from local agencies, including review criteria and reporting requirements from local governments, and annually report on the grant program’s utilization, application and hiring data.

The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Manka Dhingra, chair of the Law and Justice Committee. The measure is expected to be sent to that committee for consideration.

The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to start Jan. 13 and end April 27.

Holy becomes Republican leader on Senate Law and Justice Committee

Sen. Jeff Holy will become the Republican leader on the Senate Law and Justice Committee when the Washington Legislature’s 2025 session begins Jan. 13.

“Crime is still a problem throughout our state and Washingtonians expect the Legislature to do all it can to reduce crime and improve public safety,” said Holy, a retired Spokane police officer. “I look forward to working with other Law and Justice Committee members to develop and pass bills that will help make our state safer and cut crime.”

In becoming the top-ranking Republican on the Law and Justice Committee, Holy replaces Spokane Valley Sen. Mike Padden, who is retiring at the end of this year.

Holy will continue serving on the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee and Senate Transportation Committee. The 6th District senator will no longer serve on the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.

The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to end April 27.

Senate panel passes Holy bill to help communities hire more officers

A bipartisan bill sponsored by 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy that aims to reestablish public safety across Washington by halting an exodus of law-enforcement officers has been passed by the Senate Law and Justice Committee.

Senate Bill 5361 would provide cities and counties with more funding to hire more officers.

“Washington now has fewer law-enforcement officers per capita than any state. This decrease in officers, combined with the sharp increase in crime, is making communities less safe,” said Holy, R-Cheney. “Restoring public safety is one of the main priorities for our Senate Republican Caucus this session. This bill would help cities and counties hire more officers, which can only help reduce crime.”

During the committee’s public hearing on SB 5361 on Tuesday, several officials with local-government agencies or organizations and law-enforcement agencies testified strongly in favor of the proposal, including the Washington State Association of Counties, Association of Washington Cities, Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, Clark County Sheriff John Horch, Port Angeles Police Chief Brian Smith and Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope. Representatives with the Downtown Spokane Partnership and Washington Retail Association also testified in support of the measure.

“The positive testimony on this bill by local government and law enforcement clearly shows this would be an effective way to reduce crime and improve public safety in our communities,” said Holy. “Smaller cities and counties often can’t afford to pay their portion for future officers to attend a police academy, and they sometimes can’t afford to replace officers who are leaving the force or retiring. This bill would promote having an adequate number of officers on the streets to keep our communities safer.”

Holy’s proposal has two components. First, it would direct 0.1% of the current state sales tax to local governments to let them hire more law-enforcement personnel. The bill is expected to produce about $250 million a year to help cities and counties hire more officers. The revenues would be used by local governments to hire law-enforcement officers up to at least the national average per capita (2.4 per 1,000). Once that threshold is reached, local governments could use the funds in ways they consider best to reduce crime.

“This bill would not raise taxes but instead would redirect existing revenue toward hiring more law-enforcement officers,” explained Holy.

SB 5361 also would increase the number of training classes at the state’s basic law enforcement academy to a minimum of 25 per year.

“There is a long backlog at the academy, which is causing hired officers to have to wait several months to get the training they need to be on patrol. More training slots mean more hired officers can get to work in communities sooner,” said Holy.

SB 5361, which was approved by the Law and Justice Committee late last week, now goes to the Senate Ways and Means Committee for further consideration.

Holy proposes bill to restore public safety by helping communities hire officers

An exodus of law-enforcement officers has weakened public safety across Washington. Legislation introduced this week by 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy aims to reverse this dangerous and disturbing trend. His Senate Bill 5841 would provide cities and counties with more funding to hire more law enforcement officers.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a large number of police officers and deputy sheriffs leave their jobs, whether it’s caused by strong opposition to law enforcement by some groups or laws passed by Democrat legislators that make it harder to apprehend criminals,” said Holy, a retired Spokane police officer and the Washington senator with the most experience in law enforcement.

“Washington now has fewer law-enforcement officers per capita than any state, and the decrease in officers, combined with the sharp increase in crime, is making communities less safe. Restoring public safety is one of the main priorities for our Senate Republican Caucus this session. This bill would help cities and counties hire more officers and reduce crime.”

Holy’s proposal has two components. First, it would direct 0.1% of the current state sales tax to local governments to let them hire more law-enforcement personnel. The bill is expected to produce about $250 million a year to help cities and counties hire more officers. The revenues would be used by local governments to hire law-enforcement officers up to at least the national average per capita (2.4 per 1,000). Once that threshold is reached, local governments could use the funds in ways they consider best to reduce crime.

SB 5841 also would increase the number of training classes at the state’s basic law enforcement academy to a minimum of 25 per year. “There is a long backlog that is causing hired officers to have to wait several months to get the training they need to be on patrol. More training slots mean more hired officers can get to work in their communities sooner,” said Holy.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Law and Justice Committee for consideration.

 

Holy to resume serving on Senate higher education, law and justice committees

Sen. Jeff Holy will continue in his role as Republican leader on the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee when the Washington Legislature’s 2021 session begins Jan. 11.

Holy, a retired Spokane police officer, also will keep serving on the Senate Law and Justice Committee. The 6th District senator has added an assignment, to the Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee.

“I’m very pleased with my committee assignments for the upcoming legislative session,” said Holy, R-Cheney. “Higher education and workforce development are important issues for many Washingtonians, especially those coming out of high school and looking to enter college or the workforce. My years as a police officer in Spokane give me a unique perspective on how bills in the Law and Justice Committee might affect not only law enforcement but citizens.”

Holy said he is excited to join the Health and Long-Term Care Committee, even though it meant ending his service on the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee.

“COVID-19 and its impact on Washington’s hospitals and health care system will be an important issue for this committee, so I look forward to being involved with this issue and working on solutions that will help our state overcome this pandemic,” said Holy.

The 105-day legislative session is scheduled to end April 25.