State Senator Pam Roach has sponsored two bills in the present legislative session signed into law. The bills deal with fire districts and sex trafficking, respectively.
• A bill sponsored by Sen. Pam Roach, R-31st, that gives fire districts the flexibility to be more responsive to citizens was signed into law March 29.
Roach introduced the bill at the request of Dale Mitchell, East Pierce Fire Commissioner, on behalf of the Washington Fire Commissioners Association.
“There have been many fire district consolidations such as East Pierce Fire and Rescue,” said Roach. “Generally, fire districts have commissions with 3 or 5 members but the super districts may require more.”
Substitute Senate Bill 5766 provides that fire protection districts with an annual budget of $10 million or more may increase the number of their commissioners from five to seven. The board of commissioners may do this by resolution or by a public vote. The commissioners must divide the fire protection district into seven commissioner districts before it appoints the two new members. The same process applies if a board of commissioners wants to decrease in size from seven to five members.
“This bill allows fire districts, such as ours, better representation of the community from their elected officials,” said Jerry Thorson, Fire Chief, East Pierce Fire and Rescue. “The trends we have been seeing in fire service are mergers and annexations which cause larger departments in order to capture efficiencies in this economy. We owe Senator Roach a big thank you for pushing this bill through the process.”
SSB 5766 received unanimous support in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
• A bill aimed at halting the sexual abuse of minors sponsored by Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn was signed into law March 29.
This session, Roach helped lead a bipartisan effort to crack down on teen exploitation and human trafficking. A total of 12 bills were approved by the Legislature and signed into law today.
Roach’s measure, Senate Bill 6257 closes loopholes by enhancing definitions in existing law pertaining to both private and public photographs and videotapes portraying sexually explicit acts involving minors.
“We have to be very specific in our wording or adults who promote these activities will find a way to get around the law,” Roach said. “My bill will give law enforcement and prosecutors new tools to take the profit out of these horrible crimes against children.”
A local Auburn family was a victim of sex trafficking when their teenage daughter made her way to Seattle and joined a sex trafficking ring. The mother, whose name has been withheld, testified in Olympia and was a key factor in moving the bill along.
“Many families have been affected by the serious crime of sex trafficking,” said Roach. “Having citizens step forward to share their tragedies with legislators brought attention to this issue, generated support from the citizens and law enforcement, and toughened the law.”
