State Rep. Dave Hayes had a bill move through the Washington State House of Representatives that affects law enforcement throughout the state.

Hayes, a Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office sergeant, sponsored the bill to change one word in state law about misdemeanor arrests, making it possible for officers to arrest a suspect without a warrant despite not being the witnessing officer.

It was in response to a case where a Seattle officer in a multi-story building saw a misdemeanor drug deal occurring on the street. Another officer was called to make the arrest, but it was later thrown out of court because of the law’s wording that a suspect may be arrested without a warrant by “the” arresting officer, not “an” officer.

The measure passed the House 93-4 and moves to the Senate for further consideration.