Targeting the taggers: Washington anti-graffiti bill signed into law

(The Center Square) – Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a bill designed to address the spread of graffiti across Washington state.  House Bill 1989 will establish a pilot program designed to test innovative technologies and utilize Washington State Department of Transportation traffic cameras to deter and identify taggers. During a January public hearing on the bill, prime sponsor Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, told fellow members of the House Transportation Committee he had received more public comments on the legislation than just about anything else he’s sponsored during his legislative career. “People are really getting tired of graffiti on our roadways,” he said. He told fellow lawmakers of a recent trip to Spokane for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new North-South Corridor, reminding committee members of the legislative requirement to add “public art” as part of transportation projects. “I encourage you to see the new public art that is part of the project, and it would be such a shame if it’s covered in graffiti,” Barkis noted. Ironically, while there, Barkis learned that graffiti taggers had already tarnished the new corridor and it had just been painted over for the ribbon cutting. HB 1989 will utilize existing traffic cameras...