NEWS GLEAMS | KC Sheriff Refuses to Enforce Burien Homelessness Law; Potential TikTok Ban Moves to the Senate

A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

by Vee Hua 華婷婷

King County Sheriff Refuses to Enforce Burien Ordinance Criminalizing Homelessness

Last week, King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall and King County filed a legal complaint with the U.S. District Court regarding the City of Burien's anti-camping ordinance, which criminalizes homelessness. They have also announced that King County will not enforce the law, despite the fact that the City of Burien contracts with King County to provide safety services as the Burien Police Department. In response to the lawsuit, City Manager Adolfo Bailon instructed Burien employees to stop paying the sheriff's office.

As reported recently by the South Seattle Emerald, the Burien City Council decided in early March to expand its outdoor sleeping ban. The law prohibits anyone from sleeping on any nonresidential public property — including streets, parks, or any other open area where Burien or governmental agencies have a property interest — between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. It also creates a buffer zone prohibiting anyone from sleeping within 500 feet of areas the City Council has defined as "critical," including libraries, day care centers, schools, and senior centers.

A lawsuit against the City of Burien, filed by the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness and three unhoused people, challenges the validity of the law within the Washington State Constitution. The Sheriff's Office has stated its concerns that the exclusion zones may violate the Constitution because the zones are determined at the discretion of the City Manager and can be changed at any time. It also holds concerns that the ordinance as it stands would require its office to enforce unconstitutional laws.

"The promise I made as a sworn peace officer calls on me to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution. Doing our job for the communities we serve requires legal clarity on the constitutionality of the laws we're asked to enforce," said Cole-Tindall in a press release. "When Burien hastily passed this new ordinance without consulting with us or legal experts, they put the rights of their residents in jeopardy. A ruling from the Court is a crucial step in ensuring that the rights of all people within our jurisdiction are protected and upheld, and our deputies have the guidance they need to do their work."

A motion for a preliminary injunction has been filed, but has yet to be ruled on. The ruling is expected sometime after April 5.

U.S. House of Representatives Quickly Passes TikTok Ban; Senate Moves More Slowly

Last week, in a bipartisan vote of 362—65, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that may lead to the nationwide ban of TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd. The bill requires TikTok's China-based owner to sell its stake within six months, or the app will be banned from app stores.

TikTok has more than 170 million American users, many of whom represent a younger demographic. The bill has raised alarm among TikTok creators who have alleged censorship, reminded lawmakers that many people make their livelihoods on the app, and stressed potential mental-health concerns should the app be banned. Influencers have flown to Washington to speak to lawmakers as well as created online campaigns and social media content to show their discontent for the law.

House lawmakers claim the company's structure presents a possible national security threat, should the Chinese government decide to pressure ByteDance to share U.S. customer data. Top national security officials have validated the potential of the theoretical national security threats but have not confirmed any incidents of coordination between TikTok and the Chinese government.

In response, ByteDance has said it has not and will not share information with the Chinese government. Though TikTok was founded in China, the company has said non-Chinese investors now own 60% of the company. In 2022, the company moved its U.S. customer data to domestic servers, following regulatory concerns lawmakers had at that time.

"This bill is an outright ban of TikTok, no matter how much the authors try to disguise it," said a company spokesperson. "This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs."

In February, aggressive questioning by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas to ByteDance CEO Shou Zi Chew also raised concerns around U.S. lawmakers' understanding of China's relationship to TikTok. Chew, who is Singaporean, was asked whether he was affiliated with China or the Chinese Communist Party, to which he repeatedly responded, "No … I am Singaporean."

Though the bill to ban TikTok passed quickly in the House, it now must be passed by the Senate, which has expressed it will move slower. Both Democratic and Republican senators have called for an in-depth review of the legislation, which they say may have serious consequences should it pass.

President Joe Biden's reelection campaign recently created its own TikTok account, but his administration has shown support for the bill and said he would sign it should it arrive on his desk.

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby stated to ABC News, "We don't want to see a ban on TikTok. We understand there's a lot of people whose economic life relies on it. We want to see divestiture from this Chinese company because we are concerned, as every American ought to be concerned, about data security and what ByteDance and what the Chinese Communist Party can do with the information they can glean off of Americans' use of the application."

Former President Donald Trump, who previously opposed TikTok, is no longer calling for a ban of the platform. He said banning TikTok would only serve to strengthen Facebook, which he does not support.

A new poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research notices a split between U.S. adults regarding the app, "with 31% of U.S. adults saying they would favor a nationwide ban on TikTok use, while 35% say they would oppose that type of action," reported The Associated Press. "An additional 31% of adults say they neither favor nor oppose a ban on the social media platform. … Among those who use TikTok at least daily, a national ban would likely be highly unpopular: 73% say they oppose it."

Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other digital rights groups, such as Electronic Frontier Foundation, have come out as saying that the law may be unconstitutional and prevent free speech.

2023 Healthy Youth Survey Reveals 'Improved' Health and Well-Being for Some Young People

The results from Washington State's 2023 Healthy Youth Survey (HYD), focused on the health and well-being of young people in grades 6 to 12, has showcased promising results compared with previous years. The survey, which polled 217,000 students statewide, found that young people are reporting "improved health behaviors and mental health along with increased social support."

"Overall, we are encouraged by these results after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic," shared Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, a pediatrician and Chief Science Officer at the Washington State Department of Health, via the survey's press release. "We see these as a sign that our state's system of families, schools, communities, and programs are helping to support youth and make positive change."

Youth mental health had been an issue of significant concern throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but the new data found that suicidal ideation and depressive feelings had decreased from 2021 to 2023. Nonetheless, the survey found that "30% of 10th graders reported persistent depressive feelings," though the numbers are generally two times higher for students who identify as female, more than two times higher for those who identify as LGBTQ+, and three times higher among students who identify as living with a disability.

Nearly 15% of 10th graders surveyed reported contemplating suicide. Though the percentage can still be seen as significant, it represents a 20-year low for Washington State.

With the COVID-19 pandemic came a 50% decrease in youth substance abuse. The numbers remained stable in 2023, with 10th-grade HYS participants reporting low numbers of 8% who vape, 9% who drink alcohol, and 8% who use cannabis. Survey analysts did find, however, an increase in the use of prescription drugs, painkillers, and other illegal drugs compared with 2021 — yet only 3% of students require more prevention work.

The survey results are generally seen as a positive improvement, especially because students reported having more social support resources at their disposal. More students felt they had adults to turn to when they were depressed, had people at their schools who could assist them, received information from their school that helped them identify warning signs of suicide, and were able to achieve higher academic success.

The survey data, information about the process, and resources for participation in the 2025 survey can be found online at AskHYS.net.

Conducted every two years, the voluntary survey is a collaboration between the Washington State Health Care Authority, the Washington State Department of Health, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. The recent survey is the 18th of its kind conducted in Washington State.

📸 Featured Image: King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall and King County have filed a legal complaint with the U.S. District Court regarding the City of Burien's anti-camping ordinance, which criminalizes homelessness. Photo via Ian Dewar Photography/Shutterstock.com

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