Washington state lawmakers approve police pursuit and income tax initiatives

SEATTLE (AP) — Three conservative-backed initiatives that would give police greater ability to pursue people in vehicles, declare a series of rights for parents of public-school students and bar an income tax were approved by the Washington state Legislature on Monday.

These initiatives are just three of six certified after the group Let’s Go Washington, which is primarily bankrolled by hedge fund executive Brian Heywood, submitted hundreds of thousands of signatures in support of them. Initiatives to overturn the state’s landmark carbon pricing program and tax on the sale of stocks and bonds as well as one that could threaten a long-term care insurance program will likely head straight to voters.

“The 800,000 Washingtonians who signed the initiatives knew they were common sense measures, and the passage of three today proves they are just that,” Heywood said in an email.

The three initiatives approved by the majority Democratic Legislature will be delivered to the secretary of state and take effect 90 days after the session ends.

The police pursuit initiative would mean law enforcement officers would no longer need reasonable suspicion that a person inside a vehicle has committed certain specific crimes, such as a violent offense, sex offense or domestic violence assault, to initiate pursuit. Instead, it would allow police to initiate pursuits if they suspect a person has violated the law.

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