The murder of a 35-year-old woman in Clark County last fall may spur greater protections for survivors and victims of domestic violence in Washington state.
Lawmakers in Olympia on Wednesday unanimously passed a proposal that would allow courts to order electronic monitoring on a person, such as a GPS ankle bracelet, which could then notify the victim when that person is in the vicinity.
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The proposal is named for Tiffany Hill, a Vancouver mother of three who was killed by her estranged husband in November after he posted bail. He ambushed Hill at their children's school and fatally shot her in the parking lot.
Hill had a restraining order against her husband. Her mother was also shot in the attack. Her husband, Keland Hill, shot and killed himself following a police chase.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, now moves to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for his signature.
Before the vote, lawmakers from Vancouver and elsewhere urged a yes vote.
Prior to the bill, courts could order electronic monitoring, but only law enforcement and departments of corrections could access the information, noted Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland.
“But not the victim,” he said. “This is very, very important legislation … to include technology that would notify the victim when the person is nearby.”
Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver, said Hill did everything to protect herself, but it wasn’t enough. She said other states already have similar safeguards.
“This tool wasn’t available, but it might have saved her life,” Wylie said. “We need to work together to do this, and a lot of other things, to make sure everybody can be safe.”
While calling Hill’s death a failure of the state, Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, said the proposal will protect victims in the future.
“Our system and our laws failed Tiffany and her children,” she said. “Her friends around her saw this coming. Law enforcement saw this coming. In reflection, we shouldn’t be where we are today.”