Session May Deal With Criminal Checks

The Washington State Patrol and most local police agencies, ignoring a state Supreme Court ruling, continue to run criminal checks on motorists they stop, presuming the state Legislature will quickly authorize the longstanding practice.

Gov. Gary Locke confirmed Thursday he has ordered the State Patrol to continue the procedure that was outlawed by the high court last week. City and county police are following the patrol’s lead, apparently without legal challenge so far.

The governor said he expects to issue a call in a few days for a special one-day emergency session later this month to pass a quick fix.

In a 7-2 ruling last week, the high court said state law does not expressly authorize the background checks as part of routine traffic stops. The “fix” would be to add the criminal checks to a laundry list of information an officer can pursue when pulling over a motorist or jaywalker.

House Speaker Clyde Ballard, R-East Wenatchee, and Senate leaders officially asked the governor Thursday to call the session.

The House and Senate announced plans for a joint public hearing at 10 a.m. next Wednesday in the Cherberg Building at the capital.