OLYMPIA — Do police unfairly target motorcycle riders?
Possibly, according to one of the North Olympic Peninsula’s state representatives who introduced a bill last week that would require law enforcement to take on the issue.
The legislation, Senate Bill 5242, would mainly require law enforcement agencies in the state to adopt a written policy intended to condemn and prevent profiling of motorcycle riders and implement training to address how to avoid unnecessary traffic stops involving motorcyclists.
“I’m not sure how pervasive a problem it is,” said state Sen. Jim Hargrove, who sponsored the legislation, adding that it “wouldn’t hurt” to require the additional training.
Biker group request
The Hoquiam Democrat, whose 24th District includes the Peninsula and a portion of Grays Harbor County, said he introduced the bill at the request of the motorcycle group, American Bikers Aimed Towards Education.
He said members of the organization told him they have been unnecessarily stopped by law enforcement, presumably because they ride a motorcycle or the way they are dressed.
A motorcycle rider himself, Hargrove said he hasn’t been stopped unnecessarily by police while riding. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, he said.
“With any people that look a little different, there’s a potential for that I, suppose,” Hargrove added.
“It’s just something that continues to improve police work,” he said. “I don’t think law enforcement does a bad job.”
Sequim Democrats Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, the majority whip, and Rep. Steve Tharinger also represent the 24th District.
Conservation Corps
Tharinger introduced a bill last week to place the state’s Conservation Corps under the state Department of Ecology and to create the Puget Sound Corps.
The legislation, House Bill 1294, is the first he has introduced as the district’s newest representative.
Tharinger said it would streamline administration of the Conservation Corps, which conducts environmental restoration work, by placing it under one agency, rather than five. The Puget Sound Corps would work specifically on projects related to restoration of Puget Sound.
The cost, he said, would be borne by existing funds and an Environmental Protection Agency grant.
Tharinger is a member of the ecosystem coordination board for Puget Sound Partnership — a state agency tasked with restoring Puget Sound — and chairs its salmon recovery council.
Drug disposal
Van De Wege introduced legislation last week, House Bill 1370, that would create a statewide disposal program for unused pharmaceuticals.
He said the cost would be borne by pharmaceutical companies.
Van De Wege said the bill would eliminate a cost for local law enforcement agencies that have their own drug disposal programs.
“We’re having industry set up an umbrella group so it’s not borne by government,” he said.
The program is needed, Van De Wege said, to keep the drugs out of the hands of people who would use them for recreational purposes.
Game Farm founders
The Senate adopted a resolution last week honoring Lloyd and Catherine Beebe, the Olympic Game Farm founders who both died earlier this month.
“This is a real sad loss,” said Hargrove, who introduced the resolution. “They’ve been such a big part of the community in the Sequim area.”
Last week, Hargrove also introduced:
• Senate Bill 5299, which allows the governor to expedite appeals before the state Pollution Control Board and Shoreline Hearings Board.
Hargrove said he introduced this bill out of concern that the Nippon Paper Industries USA’s biomass energy project would not make “time-sensitive” deadlines because of appeals of the project.
The bill would require the boards to make decisions 30 days after the governor granted a request for it to be expedited.
• Senate Bill 5299, which authorizes the state Department of Natural Resources to set up a biomass jet fuel pilot project.
• Senate Bill 5395, which creates a statewide “issue-specific” review panel of facilities assisting victims of domestic violence.
• Senate Bill 5393, which authorizes the state to conduct random visits to no less than 10 percent of foster homes a year.
• Senate Bill 5300, which encourages use of the state’s natural resources in construction of public buildings.
Van De Wege last week also introduced:
• House Bill 1411, which makes work done by state troopers on behalf of the state Department of Transportation contribute toward their pension.
• House Bill 1445, which adds heart attacks and strokes as presumptions for occupational disease for law enforcement officers and firefighters.
• House Bill 1454, which requires the results of tests for bloodborne pathogens to be disclosed to law enforcement officers, firefighters, health care providers and jail and prison staff if they have been exposed to the bodily fluids of the person who received the test.
• House Bill 1505, which adopts the International Wildlife Urban Interface Code.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
