WATCH: WA bill that could allow state board to remove elected sheriffs clears House

(The Center Square) – A bill that would let an unelected state board effectively remove an elected sheriff from office in Washington state was passed by the House of Representatives in the wee hours of Friday.

For nearly eight hours, Republicans offered dozens of amendments, which were summarily rejected by majority party Democrats, ahead of final passage just before 1:30 a.m.

Four Democrats joined every Republican in opposing the bill on a final 54-42 vote.

Senate Bill 5974, sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, now heads back to the Senate for concurrence, as the measure passed in the House was a striker bill, offered by Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, which made several changes to the version that passed the Senate.

The bill would raise the minimum age for sheriff candidates from 18 to 25, require at least five years of full-ti...