WA Legislature takes aim at highway graffiti

OLYMPIA — A bill in the Washington State Legislature takes aim at graffiti, according to an announcement from Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia.

House Bill 1989, which was pre-filed by Barkis last week, would implement a three-pronged approach, according to the announcement. First, it would direct the Washington State Department of Transportation to seek out anti-graffiti paints and other products for highway walls and other surfaces. Second, DOT cameras would be used to spot and identify perpetrators, and footage from those cameras could be used to take legal action against them. Finally, the department would be required to collaborate with other state agencies to hold graffiti vandals accountable.

The Department of Transportation has seen an increase in vandalism over the last few years, the announcement said, and WSDOT has spent $1.4 million cleaning up graffiti over a two-year period. That cost is expected to increase in the next two years.

"Graffiti is not just an eyesore; it is also a costly nuisance that threatens public safety and drains taxpayer dollars," Barkis wrote in the announcement. "If passed by the Legislature and signed into law, House Bill 1989 will empower us to protect our infrastructure investments, hold perpetrators accountable, and reclaim public spaces for all to enjoy. We cannot allow the actions of a few to continue shaping the narrative of our communities."

    Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia