OLYMPIA, Wash.-Recently passed legislation that will create a statewide hate crime hotline out of the Attorney General’s Office is now headed to Governor Jay Inslee’s Office to be signed into law.
Senate Bill 5427 passed through the Washington State Senate by a bipartisan 30-18 vote in early Feb. and the House passed the bill by a 56-39 vote on Feb. 28.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the hotline will provide information and referrals for those that have been targeted by hate crimes throughout the state and the AG’s Office will publish an annual report on the crimes reported through the hotline.
“Creating this hotline will provide a centralized location for Washingtonians to report hate crimes and bias incidents,” said Attorney General Ferguson. “This will improve our state’s response to these incidents and increase public safety.”
The Attorney General’s Office will test a pilot hotline in three counties in the state by July. 1. 2025, with the hotline active statewide by 2027, according to a press release on the hotline.
