Dailyfly News By TJ Martinell | The Center Square
OLYMPIA, WA – The House Committee on Community Safety voted to advance a bill that would allow foreign nationals to become law enforcement officers and deputy prosecutors, as well as firefighters.
While proponents of Senate Bill 5068 say expanding job eligibility is necessary to address unfilled roles, critics on both the committee and people testifying warn it could have enormous negative consequences.
“I think for non-citizenship – I just can’t go there,” Rep. Brian Burnett, R-Wenatchee, told Community Safety Chair Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, prior to the committee’s Feb. 23 vote. “I have serious concerns on what that does.”
Introduced last session, SB 5068 unanimously cleared the state Senate before stalling in the House and then returned to its original chamber. This session, the bill was revived and then once more cleared the Senate, but this time with a divided vote of 30 in favor, 19 opposed.
Under the bill, foreign nationals authorized to work in the United States would be able to apply for law enforcement officer, firefighter and county prosecutor positions. Prior to its passage in Community Safety, the bill was amended to include several provisions. One of them protects public agencies from state discrimination laws for rejecting an applicant due to the limitations of their work eligibility in the country.
Another provision tasks agencies with developing written policies regarding authorization for foreign nationals to carry firearms while on duty.
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