Washington has no hate crime hotline, but the idea is gaining traction

The hotline would take stories from victims throughout enterprise hours, “present disaster intervention, info and referrals” to native service suppliers, advocate for victims with police and accumulate information. The compensation program would come with a course of to guage claims. The hotline and compensation program may price as a lot $2 million yearly, largely to pay 9 staffers and contracted name takers, in response to a fiscal observe.

The King County Council permitted a separate proposal final September to create a hate-crimes hotline, allocating $150,000 to the hassle.

SB 5427 was backed by the ADL, Latino Civic Alliance, City League, Group of Chinese language Individuals, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Jewish Neighborhood Relations Council and Washington State Labor Council.

The invoice had vital assist within the Legislature, the place it superior from the Senate’s regulation and justice committee, Valdez stated. The price was a hang-up, nonetheless, with Democratic funds leaders this session deciding to prioritize {dollars} for present applications fairly than new applications, he stated.

Proper response?

There’s an pressing want to deal with hate and bias, stated Stephen Paolini, affiliate regional director for the Pacific Northwest workplace of the Anti-Defamation League. Legislation enforcement companies in Washington, Paolini famous, reported 576 hate crimes in 2021, probably the most since at the least 2000, in response to the FBI’s most up-to-date information. That quantity, which didn’t embrace noncriminal bias incidents, was possible an undercount, as a result of many hate crimes go unreported by victims or uncategorized by police, he instructed.