Bill to address Washington’s graffiti problem clears House

The Washington state House of Representatives has passed legislation to create a pilot program to reduce graffiti.

On Saturday, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 1989 by a vote of 96 to 1. The bill would direct the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to:

• Test state-of-the-art spray drone technology to cover up existing graffiti in the field.

• Implement advanced surveillance systems to identify and apprehend individuals involved in graffiti vandalism.

• Prioritize I-5 from Tacoma to Seattle and the north Spokane corridor for innovative graffiti reduction techniques.

"The explosion of graffiti in our state has become a serious concern that demands an immediate and comprehensive response," bill sponsor Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, said in a statement. "This bill, like House Bill 1800, seeks to hold perpetrators accountable, but also gets at the critical issue of quickly and efficiently cleaning up buildings, walls, bridges, overpasses and other structures we all encounter every day. I'm grateful to see lawmakers saying 'Enough is enough' when it comes to this issue. I encourage the Senate to take swift action to get the bill to the governor's desk this year so we can begin reducing graffiti vandalism and restoring the beauty of our public spaces."

The bill now heads to the Washington state Senate for consideration.