Ybarra talks votes on drug testing, police body cams

OLYMPIA — Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, said he has been thinking about a couple of bills he recently cast votes on that are working their way out of the legislature and toward the governor’s desk.

It’s all part of this year’s very busy legislative session, the Basin legislator said.

Senate Bill 5123, sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, bans pre-employment drug testing for cannabis. It passed the Senate 28-21 and the House 57-41. Ybarra was one of those 41 to say no to the bill.

“Even though it’s legal, it’s still drugs,” Ybarra said.

Ybarra explained he always votes no on bills that support or promote drugs regardless of whether they are legal or not.

“Let’s say they legalized fentanyl,” he said. “I’m probably still going to be a no on any fentanyl bill.”

However, Ybarra said he voted yes for House Bill 1080, which cleans up language about who can request law enforcement body camera footage without charge.

“The other side of the aisle, they’re not fans of the police,” said Ybarra. “Body cams, for me, it was more of – in order to get more police out there, the other side of the aisle who’s going to vote yes on this or no on it will be a yes if we give body cams to police officers.”

That bill passed the House 96-1 and currently sits in the Senate Rules Committee for second reading.

“I want more police officers on the streets, if they have to wear body cameras, so be it,” Ybarra said.

Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.