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Ross-sponsored measure on felony eluding receives
committee nod
Yakima lawmaker succeeds in changing bill's name
to remember local men
It's not the bill
Rep. Charles Ross
filed to strengthen penalties for drivers who elude law enforcement
officers, but
House Bill 1030 was enough of an improvement to earn Ross'
sponsorship. Today Ross and other members of the
House Public
Safety & Emergency Preparedness Committee voted to move the bill
forward, after changing its title in memory of two young Yakima men
killed in connection with an eluding incident.
"Whether it's this bill or mine (House
Bill 1198) that moves on through the legislative process and becomes
law -- hopefully one of them does -- the names of Bobby Aguilar and
Edgar Mendoza deserve to be front and center. I want the changes
inspired by their tragic passing to someday spare other families from
grief," said Ross, R-Yakima.
Ross offered six amendments that would
have made HB 1030 a better piece of policy, but they were turned down. His seventh amendment was to
name the bill for Aguilar and Mendoza.
"I understand the Democrats are more
likely to move legislation they introduce, so it's no real surprise they
only went along with the name I suggested. The bill we passed today in
committee still is a step in the right direction, and is worthy of
bearing Bobby's and Edgar's names. My amendments just went farther than
they were ready to go, and the same may be true for House Bill 1198.
We'll have to see," said Ross.
Ross wants state law to treat the
endangerment aspect of eluding more seriously.
"Someone who's thinking
about trying to outrun law enforcement probably doesn't pause long
enough to consider the damage they could do to innocent people. Anything
we can do to make them think twice is progress. I have the option of
reintroducing my amendments if House Bill 1030 reaches the floor of the
House, and explaining why they would help. But the bill as it stands is
progress," he said.
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Contacts: Rep. Ross, (360) 786-7856
Eric Campbell, Public Information Officer, (360) 786-7720
Visit
http://www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/Ross
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