SB 6134, sponsored by Sen. Chris Gildon (R–Puyallup), contains a $7 million appropriation from the general fund for a multijurisdictional drug task force grant program that would replace existing funding for programs from the Department of Commerce.
For years, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program provided funding for staffing and equipment of multijurisdictional task forces (MJTFs) across the state. The program currently spends about $2.9 million annually to fund a portion of the operating budgets of 16 active task forces across the state. Last year, the Washington Department of Commerce contracted with the National Policing Institute (NPI) to conduct an assessment of Washington’s Byrne JAG Supported Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force Program and concluded that funds should be expanded to include community programs, crime victim support, and increased data collection and evaluation. While AWC is supportive of additional funding for these areas of public safety and criminal justice, we are concerned about the loss of funding for the existing MJTFs in our communities. SB 6134 would fill in necessary funding that cities and local law enforcement agencies need to fight the fentanyl epidemic in Washington. SB 6134 more than doubles the $2.7 million that the governor included in his 2023-35 supplemental budget proposal. Grants would be administered by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC).
The bill also tasks the Washington Department of Health (DOH) to create a statewide overdose map. DOH would work with local health jurisdictions, emergency medical service providers, emergency departments, state and local law enforcement agencies, sheriff's offices, medical examiners, and coroners to create a system, or use an existing system, for mapping reported incidents of fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses and synthetic opioid poisonings in Washington State.
Lastly, SB 6134 would create a Washington State Opioid Trends Review Committee to review fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses in Washington and develop recommendations to address preventable overdose-related deaths.