OLYMPIA, Wash. – Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill on Wednesday, May 3rd, that will lower the threshold for police to engage high-speed pursuits.

Under the new law, police are able to initiate a pursuit with “reasonable suspicion” that a suspect committed a crime instead of what was previously “probable cause”.

It applies in limited cases involving those suspected of committing a violent crime, sex offense, vehicular assault, driving under the influence or escape.

KING5 reports that another addition to the bill allows pursuits if the suspect poses a “serious risk of harm to others,” instead of the “imminent threat” standard that was set in the previous law.