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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This afternoon, I spent the majority of my time participating in a remote meeting of the King County Council. We took up a variety of important and timely law enforcement accountability and oversight measures that in a way are responsive to the protests and demands for justice we have seen across the country.
This included the introduction of two charter amendments sponsored by Councilmember Rod Dembowski that I co-sponsored that would implement recommendations from the 2018-2019 King County Charter Review Commission’s final report aimed at increasing accountability and oversight in King County’s law enforcement and criminal justice system. Proposed ordinance 2020-0205 would return the Sheriff to an appointed position and proposed ordinance 2020-0206 would grant the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) subpoena power. Both have been referred to the Council’s Committee of the Whole and if passed by the Council would go to the voters for approval.
The Office of Law Enforcement Oversight was established by the King County Council in 2006 and the people of King County voted to add the office to the county charter in 2015. It’s my hope voters will have the opportunity to build on that decision by increasing the accountability and oversight responsibilities of this office. I am grateful to the dedicated members of the Charter Review Commission for their thorough decision-making and community-led process, resulting in this recommendation as well as others for amending King County’s Charter.
We also approved a motion I co-sponsored requesting the sheriff’s office to report on identified policy changes needed to improve internal investigative and review mechanisms regarding officer-involved shootings. It also calls on the sheriff’s office to respond to 43 recommendations made by OLEO in February of this year in the wake of the deputy-involved death of King County resident Mi’Chance Dunlap-Gittens. The motion was approved.
In case you were unable to watch today’s proceedings, I will provide a link to watch a replay in tomorrow’s update once one is available. And I’ll provide information tomorrow on the details of a special meeting of the Council’s Law and Justice Committee to be held remotely this Friday at 10 a.m. for a briefing on what’s currently allowable and not allowable by the Sheriff on use of pepper spray, tear gas, choke holds and other means of “crowd control.”
The rest of this e-newsletter is meant to provide you with an update on some of the other issues on which I’ve been working as well as helpful information related to the COVID-19 crisis. You can read previous updates I sent out on an archive page so you can find any information you may have missed. I have been sending updates every day since March 1 (sometimes more than one in a day). However, I have now transitioned to sending updates only during the week unless there are major developments. Click here to visit the archive page.
As always, I would like to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or comments. You can call me at 206-477-1004 or you can reach me by email at jeanne.kohl-welles@kingcounty.gov.
All the best,
Latest numbers from Public Health
Since yesterday’s update Public Health is reporting 29 new positive cases of COVID-19 in King County today (8,536 total) and 2 new COVID-19-related deaths (570 total).
As of June 8, there were 24,354 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide and 3,747 related deaths. These numbers reflect 313 new cases and 15 new deaths with 3,747 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 is available on Public Health’s data dashboard. And, interestingly, you can click on your zip code to learn of the number of “positive” cases and fatalities where you reside.
Also, and again, here is an excellent website that offers real-time COVID-19 data in clear formats, broken down by country and state: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
Lastly, here is an updated list of places open for COVID-19 testing: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/news/2020/May/~/media/depts/health/communicable-diseases/documents/C19/community-health-center-testing-locations.ashx
   
Inslee extends proclamation protecting high-risk workers
Governor Inslee announced the extension of a proclamation today giving high-risk workers the right to protect themselves from COVID-19 without jeopardizing their employment status or loss of income.
The proclamation provides older workers and those with underlying health conditions a series of rights and protections, including:
- The choice of an alternative work assignment, including telework, alternative or remote work locations if feasible, and social distancing measures.
- The ability to use any accrued leave or unemployment benefits if an alternative work assignment is not feasible and the employee is unable to safely work. Employers must maintain health insurance benefits while high-risk employees are off the job.
- Employers are prohibited from permanently replacing high-risk employees.
High-risk individuals are defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and specifically include:
- 65 years of age or older; and
- People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled.
The proclamation was extended through August 1, 2020.
Read the governor’s proclamation here.
Special meeting of the King County Board of Health June 10
The King County Board of Health (I am a board member) will hold a special meeting on June 10 at 3 p.m. Topics on the agenda include discussion and possible action on a rule and regulation relating to telephonic participation by members of the Board of Health and a novel coronavirus response and recovery briefing. You can read more about the meeting and read the agenda by clicking here.
Covid and the digital divide
The pandemic has shed light on the digital divide in our society – a lack of access to wi-fi connections and digital devices in low-income communities. Many students and families have struggled as classes have gone online. I’ve been working with County Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember Girmay Zahilay to add funding to address these needs in an upcoming COVID-19 budget.
This article from The Seattle Times gives excellent insight into this issue. In addition, the League of Education is sponsoring a free webinar this Thursday featuring school superintendents from across the state. They will be discussing how racial equity is being addressed in planning for school reopenings, will describe which approaches to COVID-19 remote learning are currently working and more. To register, click here.
What's you're stepping up story? We want to hear from you!
I had a heartwarming email from a constituent, telling me about the people she and her extended family know, many of whom are making masks for front-line workers and others who need them. Included in that list is an OBGYN who works full-time in Bellevue and has made over 100 N95 masks.
We know there are more stories in King County just like this, and would like to hear yours! Please contact my office with your personal stories.
If you’re not already making masks – or volunteering in another way – here are a few resources:
Seattle Mask Brigade – Collecting and distributing PPE to front-line workers.
King County Donations Connector
United Way – Information on volunteering to produce face masks
Abilities Virtual Experience: June 19-21
Abilities.com, the online resource for the disability community, will be hosting “Abilities Virtual Experience,” to help you connect with disability-focused products, services and workshops. Registration is free: https://www.abilities.com/virtual/register.html#form
Additional helpful and informative links
In yesterday’s update, I included a section on The City of Seattle and how it is asking those who have participated in recent protest gatherings and marches to get tested for Covid-19. Unfortunately, the link I provided for more information did not work. Here is the correct and functional link: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19/covid-19-testing
Today's moment of levity
Did you know that Sir Isaac Newton came up with a remedy for the bubonic plague? The plague broke out while he was a student at Cambridge, and he quarantined himself at a family country estate. He immersed himself in experiments in gravity, mathematics, and other scientific studies, including a remedy for the plague. Unfortunately, that remedy involves swallowing lozenges made from the vomit of toads. Read all the details here.
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my update. You can expect these to continue being sent out daily, sometimes more than one. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here.
Finally, to prevent these updates from going straight to spam or junk folders, I encourage you to mark this email address as a “safe sender” by adding the email address to your contacts or address book. And be sure to check your spam folder if you think you may have missed an update.
And please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns and, most importantly, be well.
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