In a controversial move, Washington Democrats are pushing for the passage of a bill that would grant incarcerated felons, including serial killers, the right to vote, serve on juries, and even run for office.
The bill, known as House Bill 2030, is sponsored by Democratic Representative Tarra Simmons, a former convict who served a 30-month sentence in 2011 for theft, drug, and firearm offenses.
Simmons has a track record of advocating for the rights of felons, having previously succeeded in restoring voting rights to convicts post-release. However, her latest proposal has sparked a heated debate.
During a hearing on the bill, Republican Representative Sam Low questioned Simmons about the implications of the bill for notorious criminals like the Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway. Simmons confirmed that Ridgway's rights would be restored under the proposed legislation, a point that Low countered by reminding the committee of the 49 to 70 women whose voting rights Ridgway had permanently taken away.
Simmons defended the bill during the State Government and Tribal Committee hearing, arguing that the disenfranchisement of incarcerated felons is rooted in racism and is a continuation of the country's shameful history of racial discrimination. She further claimed that mass incarceration is a modern form of slavery.
However, the bill has faced significant opposition. Brian Hatfield, a spokesperson for Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, highlighted the logistical challenges of implementing the proposed changes, such as transporting felons from prison to serve on a jury or in office. Hobbs himself strongly objects to the restoration of voting rights before a person has fully paid their societal debt.
Republican Representative Greg Cheney dismissed the legislation as "absurd on its face," pointing out that it could potentially allow felons convicted of vehicular homicide or assault to sit on a jury panel for a DUI charge.
Simmons' legislative agenda this session also includes a proposal to ease the reintegration of level 3 sex offenders into society, and a co-sponsored bill that would allow for the dismissal of certain misdemeanors. She has also pre-filed legislation that would grant judges the power to reduce sentences for violent offenders, even if the facts of the case remain unchanged.
Simmons' previous attempts to reduce penalties for drive-by shootings in the name of "racial equity" were unsuccessful, despite a surge in crime and record homicide rates in the state.
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