Washington State lawmakers hear public testimony on Tina’s Law - KREM.com
Tina's Law, which would create a registry for domestic violence offenders, was named after a woman who was killed by her boyfriend in 2017.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Washington state lawmakers heard public testimony Friday on whether they should support Tina’s Law.
Tina's Law, which would create a registry for domestic violence offenders, was named after Tina Stewart, a woman who was killed by her boyfriend on Thanksgiving of 2017.
The boyfriend has sense been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Tina's Law is a proposal to create a registry of domestic violence offenders and its primary promoter is Tina's uncle Don Estes.
The law has been proposed in the Washington State Legislature of total of three times, with the most recent being in 2019. The proposed law never saw a vote on the legislature floor.
Tina’s family has spent the last four years fighting for change, with the primary promoter of the proposed law being Tina's uncle, Don Estes.
“We want the most violent of violent offenders held accountable," Estes said.
During Friday's public testimony, Estes argued there are already registries established or proposed for animal abuse offenders, so why not one for violent offenders?
“I have a list. Ten states, including Washington, have animal abuse registries and we’re not thinking about perpetrators of domestic violence that are murdering our loved ones?" Estes said.
Some victim advocates and prosecutors who spoke against Tina’s Law believe it violates privacy and could create barriers.
“Parents who are on registries would face further barriers in obtaining housing, jobs, and even their ability to coach their child’s little league," criminal lawyer Rachel Forde said.
Russel Brown, the executive director of the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, said the bill may provide "a false sense of security" for victims, who may visit the registry and believe they are safe from someone not listed.
Jake Faucett, a representative from the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV), said the solution to domestic violence incidents is prevention.
"Putting more efforts into people learning about domestic violence, about the signs, about what healthy relationships look like is really critical, especially at younger ages," Faucett said.
If passed, the bill would create a domestic violence offender registry that can be viewed by the public.
The bill remains in committee at this time.
This is a developing story and we will update it when more information becomes available.
source: https://www.krem.com/article/news/crime/washington-lawmakers-hear-tinas-law/293-d7a05486-4204-41ca-a223-73c4cb67f6ac
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