Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

Task Forces

The Attorney General's Office manages several task forces to assist the office in carrying out important initiatives.

Active Groups Completed Groups
HearMeWA Advisory Committee  
Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force Sexual Assault Coordinated Community Response Task Force
Truth and Reconciliation Tribal Advisory Committee  
Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Statewide Coordinating Committee Hate Crime Advisory Working Group
Office of Military & Veteran Legal Assistance Advisory Committee Senate Bill 6360 Work Group: Consolidating Traffic-Based Financial Obligations Work Group
Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Best Practices Advisory Group Youth Safety and Well-being Statewide Reporting Tool Work Group
Organized Retail Crime Theft Task Force Law Enforcement Data Collection Advisory Group
Washington State Joint Legislative Task Force on Jail Standards  
Sunshine Committee  

 

ACTIVE GROUPS

HearMeWA Advisory Committee – 2021 - 2022

Pursuant to ESSB 5092 (127) (17) (a) the HearMeWA Advisory Committee advises the Office of the Attorney General as it develops processes for risk assessment, threat assessment, referral and follow-up, data retention, and confidentiality of the HearMeWA Program. For more information, visit the HearMeWA Advisory Committee page. 

Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force

The Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIW/P) Task Force will assess systemic causes behind the high rate of disappearances and murders of indigenous women and people. The team will support the 21-member task force, and produce two reports to the Governor and Legislature in August 2022 and June 2023 to report the task force’s findings. The task force will include tribes and tribal organizations, as well as state and local policy makers.

Truth and Reconciliation Tribal Advisory Committee – 2023-2025

The Truth and Reconciliation Tribal Advisory Committee will conduct research and outreach to understand the operations and impact of Indian boarding schools in Washington run by public and faith-based institutions, and to develop recommendations for the state to acknowledge and address the historical and intergenerational harms caused by Indian boarding schools and other cultural and linguistic termination practices.

Agenda: Tribal Advisory Committee

Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 2:00-4:00 pm

2:00-2:10

Call to order and introductions of Advisory Committee Members and AGO staff

2:10-2:55

Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act Training 

Jennifer Steele, Assistant Attorney General

Morgan Damerow, Assistant Attorney General 

2:55-3:25

Review committee proviso language

  1. Public hearings and committee meetings: draft schedule, attendance expectations, other discussion items

  2. Preliminary discussion on subcommittees 

  3. Bylaws for committee, including discussion of decision making

 3:25-3:45

Planning for first public comment session

November 3, 2023, Northern Quest Casino 

3:45-3:55

 

Recognizing September 30 as the National Day of Remembrance

3:55-4:00

Closing remarks

Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Statewide Coordinating Committee – 2013-2023

Pursuant to House Bill 1832 and codified in RCW 7.68.801, the Attorney General’s Office convenes the Coordinating Committee to improve protections for exploited youth by examining local and regional practices and incidence data.  For more information, visit https://www.atg.wa.gov/commercially-sexually-exploited-children-statewide-coordinating-committee.

Office of Military & Veteran Legal Assistance Advisory Committee – 2017 to present

Pursuant to Substitute House Bill 1055 and codified in RCW 43.10.292, the Attorney General’s Office convenes the Advisory Committee to provide advice and assistance to the Office of Military & Veteran Legal Assistance regarding program design, operations, volunteer recruitment and support strategies, service delivery objectives and priorities, and funding. For more information, visit https://www.atg.wa.gov/omvla-advisory-committee.

 

Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Best Practices Advisory Group  – 2019-2026

Pursuant to Second Substitute House Bill 1166 and codified in RCW 43.10.800, the Attorney General’s Office convenes the Advisory Group to reduce the number of untested sexual assault kits in Washington and to review best practice models for managing all aspects of sexual assault investigations.

Meeting

SAFE Advisory Group Meeting

Upcoming Meetings

  • October 24th 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
  • November 14th 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. (VOTING MTG.)

Previous Meeting Minutes

Annual Reports

 

Organized Retail Crime Theft Task Force – 2022

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the creation of a statewide Organized Retail Crime Theft Task Force in June 2022. The Task Force will improve coordination and collaboration among law enforcement agencies to address these multi-jurisdictional crimes that endanger employees and cause significant economic harm to our state. If you have any questions please reach out to the Policy Unit, policy_team@atg.wa.gov.

Previous Meetings

 

Washington State Joint Legislative Task Force on Jail Standards - 2022

Pursuant to the Washington State 2021-23 Operating Budget, and codified in RCW 70.48.801 the Joint Legislative Task Force on Jail Standards will gather and review data on jails in Washington and across the United States to make recommendations to the Legislature regarding state oversight of jails and other policy changes to promote safety and welfare for incarcerated persons and staff.

Meeting Dates and Times Expected Topics Access Information and Materials*
September 6  
3 – 5 p.m.		 Initial Recommendation Discussion
October 4  
3 – 5 p.m.		 Recommendation Discussion  
October 18  
3 – 5 p.m.		 Recommendation Voting  

*Agenda and meeting access information will be posted 24 hours in advance of the meeting.

Previous Meeting Minutes

 

Sunshine Committee – 2007 to present

Pursuant to Substitute Senate Bill 5435, the Attorney General’s Office convenes the Committee to review all exemptions to the Public Disclosure Act.  For more information, visit https://www.atg.wa.gov/sunshine-committee.

 

COMPLETED GROUPS

 

Sexual Assault Coordinated Community Response Task Force – 2020-2022

Pursuant to Substitute Senate Bill 6158, the Attorney General’s Office convenes the Task Force to develop best practice protocols for coordinated community responses to sexual assault survivors beginning with their arrival at a hospital or clinic.

Previous Meeting Minutes

Annual Reports

Hate Crime Advisory Working Group – 2019-2020

Pursuant to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1732 and codified in RCW 43.10.300, the Attorney General’s Office convened the Advisory Working Group to develop strategies to raise awareness of and enhance responses to hate crimes and hate incidents. 

Final Report

Senate Bill 6360 Work Group: Consolidating Traffic-Based Financial Obligations Work Group. – 2016-2017

Pursuant to Substitute Senate Bill 6360, the Attorney General's Office convened a work group to provide input on the development of a unified and affordable payment plan for statewide consolidation of an individual's traffic-based financial obligations imposed by courts of limited jurisdiction.

Final Report

Cover Letter

Appendix A (Work Group Perspectives), Appendix B (County Profiles & Locations of Failure to Appear Suspensions)

Youth Safety and Well-being Statewide Reporting Tool Work Group – 2019-2020

Pursuant to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1109 Section 134(14), the 2019 Operating Budget, the Attorney General’s Office convened the Work Group to study and make a proposal for the implementation of a 24-hour statewide hotline or app for receiving reports and other information related to youth safety and well-being. 

Final Report

 

 

Law Enforcement Data Collection Advisory Group

Pursuant to Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5259, the Attorney General’s Office convened the Law Enforcement Data Collection Advisory Group to help the Office design and develop the statewide law enforcement data collection program to promote openness, transparency and accountability.

Member List

Status

The Advisory Group’s unanimous recommendations were approved by the Attorney General.

In compliance with Senate Bill 5259 (2021), the Attorney General's Office recently issued a solicitation to contract with an institution of higher education (defined in RCW 28B.92.030) to establish the statewide Law Enforcement Use of Force Data Program. Please find the full solicitation, solicitation documents and bid instructions here: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/. This contract shall fulfill the legislative mandate and enact the Advisory Group’s final recommendations, as approved by Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

Previous Meeting Minutes