The Council's Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee considers and makes recommendations on policies relating to law, safety, and criminal justice, as well as policies related to health and housing services.

The committee's jurisdiction includes policies related to the implementation of the charter amendments related to the duties of the sheriff’s office; public safety; adult detention; juvenile justice and youth services; superior and district courts; judicial administration; prosecuting attorney; public defense; emergency medical services; office of law enforcement oversight; bail reform; pretrial services; alternatives to incarceration; combating human trafficking; hate crime prevention; and civil rights.

The committee's jurisdiction also includes health services provided to the community by county agencies and branches; public health programs, including those related to the protection, promotion, and provision functions of the department of public health and the structure of the public health centers; and human services programs, including review of human services-related levies.
 
In the areas within the committee's purview, the committee shall track state and federal legislative action and develop recommendations on policy direction for the county's biennial budget.

Hybrid Meetings: Attend King County Council committee meetings in person in Council Chambers (Room 1001), 516 3^rd Avenue in Seattle, or through remote access.  Details on how to attend and/or provide public comment remotely are listed below. 

HOW TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT: The Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee values community input and looks forward to hearing from you on agenda items.

There are three ways to provide public comment:

1. In person:  You may attend the meeting and provide comment in the Council Chambers.
2. By email. You may comment in writing on current agenda items by submitting your email comments using the link below. Comments submitted by 8:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting will be distributed to the committee members and appropriate staff prior to the meeting. 

Click here to submit written public comment. Please include the topic and, if known, the related committee in the subject line of your email.

If you would like to comment on an item not on the current agenda you can email your Councilmember here.

       3. Remote attendance at the meeting by phone or computer: You may provide oral comment on current agenda items during the meeting’s
           public comment period by connecting to the meeting via phone or computer using the ZOOM application and the Webinar ID below

You are not required to sign up in advance. Comments are limited to current agenda items.  

You have the right to language access services at no cost to you. To request these services, please contact Equity and Social Justice Director Dae Shogren at 206-263-8124 or email dae.shogren@kingcounty.gov by 8:00 a.m. the day prior to the meeting. 

CONNECTING TO THE WEBINAR:

Webinar ID: 868 2280 0804

If you do not have access to the ZOOM application, you can connect to the meeting by calling 1-253-215-8782 and using the Webinar ID above. Connecting in this manner, however, may impact your ability to be unmuted to speak.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN TO THE MEETING REMOTELY: There are several ways to watch or listen to the meeting:

1. Stream online via this link:
   https://livestream.com/accounts/15175343/events/4485487, or input the link web address into your web browser.
2. Watch King County TV Channel 22 (Comcast Channel 22 and 322(HD), Wave Broadband Channel 22).
3. Listen to the meeting by telephone – See “Connecting to the Webinar” above.

To help us manage the meeting, if you do not wish to be called upon for public comment please use the Livestream or King County TV options listed above, if possible, to watch or listen to the meeting.

Meeting Times: 9:30 AM on the first Tuesday of each month

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Chair: Girmay Zahilay
Vice Chair: Sarah Perry
Members: Claudia Balducci, Rod Dembowski, Reagan Dunn, Jeanne Kohl-Welles

Committee Staff: 
Lead Staff: Sam Porter,
Co-Lead: Miranda Leskinen
Committee Clerk: Angelica Calderon

Meeting Materials for the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee

Listed below are the meeting materials for the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee. The meeting materials available before each meeting are combined into one PDF document and posted below under Meeting Agendas and Materials. On occasion, not all materials will be available before the meeting. Additional materials for the meeting are posted as they become available.

(If links are not displaying below, you may access agenda materials at https://aqua.kingcounty.gov/council/agendas/lj/)