The following opinion-editorial appeared in the Tri-City Herald on Feb. 8, 2026:
During a recent town hall meeting in Kennewick, a teenage girl bravely stood up and told a room full of adults that if a home for sexually violent predators is approved in her neighborhood, she would no longer feel safe riding her bike, walking to the community pool, or doing the ordinary things kids should be able to do without fear.
Her remarks have stayed with us because we know decisions made in Olympia land on real streets, in real neighborhoods, with real consequences for families and children. When government decisions involve public safety, the impact is immediate and personal.
The proposed placement of a less restrictive alternative, or LRA, home for sexually violent predators in a residential Kennewick neighborhood is deeply concerning. The site sits near schools, churches, bus routes, and places where children live and play.
It shouldn’t need to be said, but individuals with histories of extreme sexual violence don’t belong anywhere near residential, child-centered neighborhoods. That has been our position from the start, and what we heard repeatedly from residents at the Kennewick town hall.
Those concerns are reflected in a package of bills we introduced this session to tighten the rules governing sexually violent predator placements in communities throughout Washington.
If signed into law, our bills would tighten supervision, expand safety buffers around places children gather, and prohibit sexually violent predator placements next to homes with minors or in family-dense neighborhoods.
They would require transparency around property ownership and site selection, block placements with direct sightlines to schools and child care facilities, and the assurance that supervision is local and accountable. Finally, they would require courts to consider county prosecutors’ recommendations, so placement decisions reflect community safety, not bureaucratic convenience.
Unfortunately, the Democratic majority expressed virtually no interest in taking action on these proposals. Most were left to die in committee without so much as a public hearing. Without hearings, residents cannot testify. Law enforcement cannot formally share concerns. Victims, parents, and local officials are denied a place on the public record.
Kennewick residents have worked tirelessly to be heard by state officials overseeing this placement decision and by Democratic lawmakers who control the agenda in Olympia. They have organized, testified, shared personal stories, and showed up in good faith. We could not be prouder of their efforts and will continue to stand with them.
At its core, this issue comes down to the most basic responsibility of government: protecting the public. When government loses sight of that responsibility, public trust erodes and is difficult to restore.
Washington has increasingly moved people convicted of violent sexual crimes out of total confinement and into community-based housing. Releases from McNeil Island have accelerated without consistent monitoring or independent accountability. Roughly one in four individuals released were later arrested for new crimes, and about one in seven reoffended in serious ways, many involving sexual violence. Even placements labeled “supervised” have produced hundreds of violations, including tampering with monitoring devices and prohibited contact.
When individuals with this history are placed into residential neighborhoods, the risk is no longer theoretical. It becomes local and personal.
Kennewick is not alone in navigating this challenge. In Thurston County in 2023, a proposed LRA facility near Tenino drew widespread concern after residents learned of the placement late in the process, with little opportunity for local input. County officials raised serious siting and permitting concerns, and the project was ultimately canceled for failing to meet basic land-use requirements.
In response, Thurston County strengthened zoning rules in 2024, required public hearings, and established clearer safety standards for LRA housing. From Kennewick to Tenino and beyond, the pattern has been the same: limited transparency, inconsistent oversight, and decisions advancing before residents and local leaders are meaningfully involved. Counties are stepping in not to obstruct the law, but to fill gaps left by a state system that is not working as intended.
At the Kennewick town hall, residents spoke with clarity and courage. Parents described sleepless nights. Neighbors asked why their voices were not heard sooner. Survivors of sexual abuse shared their fear that these placements could become a nightmare scenario in their own neighborhoods. These are not unreasonable concerns. They are the voices of people asking their government to protect their families and neighborhoods.
We are parents. This area is our home, where we have raised our families. We want every child to feel safe walking to school, riding a bike, going to church, and enjoying their neighborhood without fear.
Some have urged greater compassion when considering the placement of sexually violent predators, but compassion does not require recklessness, and accountability is not cruelty. Protecting children and honoring victims is our paramount priority.
When government decisions put innocent people in danger, silence is not an option. We will continue fighting this placement and calling out those who prioritize bureaucracy over safety.
Sen. Matt Boehnke and Reps. Stephanie Barnard and April Connors represent Washington’s 8th Legislative District.