Washington HB 1410: Concerning people who have been targeted or affected by hate crimes and bias incidents.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to supporting people who have been targeted or 1
affected by hate crimes and bias incidents by establishing a 2
reporting hotline, tracking hate crimes and bias incidents, and 3
creating a compensation program and assistance fund; amending RCW 4
42.56.240; adding new sections to chapter 43.10 RCW; creating new 5
sections; and providing an effective date.6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.10 8
RCW to read as follows:9
(1) The attorney general's office shall oversee a hate crimes and 10
bias incidents hotline staffed during business hours and dedicated to 11
assisting people who have been targeted or affected by hate crimes 12
and bias incidents. The hate crimes and bias incidents hotline shall:13
(a) Accept reports of hate crimes and bias incidents made to the 14
hate crimes and bias incidents hotline;15
(b) Provide appropriate crisis intervention, information, and 16
referral to people who have been targeted or affected by hate crimes 17
and bias incidents that is victim-centered, culturally competent, and 18
trauma-informed;19
(c) Be as accessible to as many residents of Washington as 20
possible, regardless of language proficiency, as much as is 21
H-0541.1
HOUSE BILL 1410
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2023 Regular Session
By Representatives Hansen, Stonier, Taylor, Simmons, Stearns, Berry,
Senn, Thai, Lekanoff, Ramel, Macri, Pollet, Reed, Doglio, and Santos
Read first time 01/18/23. Referred to Committee on Civil Rights &
Judiciary.
p. 1 HB 1410

practically possible within the limits of the resources appropriated 1
to operate the hotline.2
(2)(a) The attorney general's office shall:3
(i) Develop a standardized intake process for all reports of hate 4
crimes and bias incidents made to the hate crimes and bias incidents 5
hotline;6
(ii) Identify local service providers to refer people who have 7
been targeted or affected by hate crimes and bias incidents;8
(iii) Collect data describing the incident, location, date, and 9
real or perceived affected protected class, of each hate crime or 10
bias incident reported to the hate crimes and bias incidents hotline;11
(iv) Review and analyze, at least annually, data pertaining to 12
hate crimes and bias incidents that has been submitted to the hate 13
crimes and bias incidents hotline; and14
(v) No later than July 1, 2026, and at least annually thereafter, 15
provide information regarding hate crimes and bias incidents 16
occurring in Washington during the prior calendar year to the 17
governor, senate, and house of representatives, and make the 18
information publicly available on its website, excluding the personal 19
identifying information of any individual.20
(b) Any information regarding hate crimes or bias incidents that 21
reveals the personal identifying information of any individual: (i) 22
Must not be included in any public report prepared in accordance with 23
this section; and (ii) is confidential and exempt from public 24
inspection, copying, or disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW.25
(3) Any law enforcement agency in this state that receives a 26
report of a hate crime or bias incident shall refer the targeted or 27
affected person to the hate crimes and bias incidents hotline.28
(4)(a) No later than July 1, 2024, the attorney general's office 29
shall prepare a standard quarterly report form for use by law 30
enforcement agencies to report hate crimes and bias incidents, and 31
make the standard form available on its website. The standard form 32
should facilitate the collection and aggregation of information 33
concerning the incident, location, date, and real or perceived 34
affected protected class, of each hate crime or bias incident 35
reported to the hate crimes and bias incidents hotline.36
(b) No later than January 30, 2025, and at least quarterly 37
thereafter, all law enforcement agencies in this state shall prepare 38
and send a report to the attorney general's office each quarter of 39
all reported hate crimes and bias incidents that occurred within the 40
p. 2 HB 1410

reporting agency's jurisdiction in the prior quarter. The report must 1
describe the incident, location, date, and real or perceived affected 2
protected class of each reported hate crime and bias incident.3
(5)(a) Whenever a hate crime or bias incident is reported to the 4
hate crimes and bias incidents hotline by a member of the public, the 5
hotline shall promptly share information concerning the incident, 6
location, date, and real or perceived affected protected class, of 7
the hate crime or bias incident with the primary local law 8
enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the hate crime or 9
bias incident occurred. The hotline shall anonymize the information 10
it shares such that the person targeted or affected by the hate crime 11
or bias incident cannot be identified unless the targeted or affected 12
person consents to being identified.13
(b) If t