OLYMPIA—A new law will help protect election workers and local officials.
“More than 80 percent of local officials have experienced harassment, threats, and violence,” said Rep. April Berg (D-Mill Creek). “It’s gotten worse during the pandemic. This law gives common-sense protections to our local elected officials and election workers.”
House Bill 1630 prohibits the open carry of firearms at city council and council meetings, and both open carry and concealed carry at school board meetings and ballot counting centers. The legislation includes provisions of Berg’s House Bill 1618.
“This legislation extends the same protections we offer students, teachers, and all those in our courtrooms,” Berg said, “to those working hard to serve our community and preserve our American democracy. Nobody should be coming to a school board meeting or election center wearing tactical gear and carrying AR-15’s, and with the passage of this law, we put an end to that loophole.”
The legislation passed the House 57-41 and the Senate 28-20. It now goes to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.