(Olympia, WA) -- A bill making its way through the Washington Legislature is targeting people who take up unauthorized residence on a vacant property. The measure would give protection to legitimate tenants and property owners, and more power to law enforcement to clear the property of squatters. The bill would allow officers to arrest an alleged squatter just for trespassing, rather than making them wait for a crime to be committed. The legislation has cleared the Senate and is on its way to the House.