Public Safety
Every person in every community has the right to feel safe in their homes and in their neighborhoods. But we see more and more people afraid. Afraid of going to school, the movies, church, or a concert. Afraid to call the police when they need them. Afraid to send their kids out into the world. We can and must do better across the board—from holding police accountable when they use excessive force to promoting common-sense gun safety legislation to moving toward a “smart on crime” approach to our criminal legal system that prioritizes prevention and rehabilitation.
Criminal justice reform
For too long, our criminal legal system has been disproportionately incarcerating black and brown people, devastating generations of families by removing indefinitely the moms and dads that provide emotional and financial support to their children and extended families. Furthermore, our public policy has not supported successful re-entry. Even after one has served their time, policies that limit access to housing, education and jobs set these individuals up for failure, forcing them back to a life of crime to survive. These policies start in the juvenile justice system and continue into the adult incarceration system.
As our 36th LD State Representative, Noel championed:
HB 1412 (2022) – Reducing or waiving legal financial obligations (LFOs) based on inability to pay (PASSED)
HB 1078 (2021) – Restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals (PASSED)
HB 1298 (2017) – Fair Chance Act/Ban the Box (PASSED)
HB 1783 (2017) – Eliminating interest on non-restitution portion of LFOs and prioritizing payment to victims first (PASSED)
SB 5069 (2017) – Lifting the ban on use of state funds for post-secondary education for prisoners eligible for re-entry into society (PASSED)
Gun Responsibility
The third leading cause of death for children in the United States is now gun violence. This is unacceptable, as well as preventable. The NRA may contribute millions to politicians, but they cannot stop the movement that is being built by young people across this country. I’m committed to continuing to promote common-sense gun safety legislation to reduce the fear of gun violence for all in our state. I also support passing evidence-based gun violence prevention policies that will make Washington safer and save lives.
As our 36th LD State Representative, Noel championed:
HB 1630 (2022) – Banning weapons at public meetings and ballot counting locations (PASSED)
HB 1705 (2022) – Banning “Ghost Guns” (untraceable guns) (PASSED)
SB 5078 (2022) – Banning high-capacity magazines (PASSED)
SB 5992 (2018) – Banning bump stocks (PASSED)
SB 6298 (2018) – Preventing domestic violence harassers from having a gun (PASSED)
SB 5553 (2017) – Allowing individuals to put themselves on the do-not-purchase list (PASSED)
Police Accountability
Our police officers must receive adequate training that focuses on de-escalation tactics when responding to people experiencing a crisis. They must also be held accountable when they ignore the basic civil rights of members of our community, leading to unnecessary bodily injury or even death. We need a more comprehensive approach to community and public safety that acknowledges and provides real resources to respond to individuals in crisis, particularly those with behavioral health challenges and developmental disabilities. We must protect all people and provide recourse for damages when necessary.
As our 36th LD State Representative, Noel championed:
HB 1054 (2021) – Police tactics, banning chokeholds, lateral vascular restraints, and no-knock warrants (PASSED)
HB 1310 (2021) – Use of Force standard that mandates de-escalation and a standard of reasonable care (PASSED)
HB 1267 (2021) – Independent investigations to investigate deadly use of force cases (PASSED)
HB 1202 (2021) – Ending qualified immunity, allowing civil remedies for police misconduct
I-940 – Supporting de-escalation training for law enforcement and changing the deadly use of force standard (PASSED)
HB 2892 (2018) – Establishing the Mental Health Field Response Teams Program (PASSED)