Tri-City legislative bills survive governor’s veto pen

Two bills in the Legislature of particular concern for Tri-City residents were signed into law late Thursday night by Gov. Jay Inslee.

The first, Senate Bill 6219, increases the sentencing range for vehicular homicide while driving in a reckless manner from the current 21-27 months to 78-102 months. It was named “Jason’s Law” in honor of Jason Smith, a father who died by vehicular homicide in Pasco last year.

The second, Senate Bill 6295, requires the superior court, at a coroner’s request, to schedule a courtroom for an inquest and provide a bailiff, reporter and any security needed. It was inspired by Franklin County Coroner Dan Blasdel’s campaign to hold a public inquest into the Pasco police shooting of Antonio Zambrano-Montes last year.

They were among 37 bills Inslee had threatened to veto because lawmakers did not finish a supplemental budget by the end of the session.

In a late-night news conference, Inslee said he had signed 10 bills and vetoed the other 27. He also announced an immediate start to a 30-day special session to complete the budget. Legislators were still negotiating details into the final hours of the session but were still too far apart to announce a deal.

“Legislators have one fundamental task they are required to do every year and that is to keep the state’s budget balanced. They had 60 days to make some relatively minor adjustments, and have yet to make the reasonable compromises that are necessary,” Inslee said. “I am keeping the clock running. There is no break and no rest – legislators need to balance the books and finish their job.”

Smith’s family has made repeated trips to Olympia this winter to testify on behalf of Jason’s law.

Jason Smith, 36, had just dropped off his youngest daughter at gymnastics on April 2 when his car was hit broadside by a pickup driven by Miguel A. Paniagua, then 24.

Paniagua, a documented gang member and convicted felon wanted for not paying court fines, was speeding away from police who had tried to pull him over for a traffic violation.

Paniagua ran from the crash scene, leaving Smith, who died a short while later at a hospital. Smith was a Kamiakin High School graduate and a business owner.

The law would put vehicular homicide by reckless means at the same level of seriousness as vehicular homicide by DUI and also first-degree manslaughter. Now a person can be incarcerated longer for a non-fatal DUI offense than for killing someone by driving in a reckless manager.

“This is very dear to our hearts,” said Jason Smith’s father, John Smith, at a Senate committee hearing in January.

This story was originally published March 10, 2016 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Tri-City legislative bills survive governor’s veto pen."