Authorizing a qualified county to impose a tax for the funding of behavioral health diversion from the criminal justice system.

This bill allows qualifying Washington counties to impose a 0.1% sales tax to fund behavioral health diversion programs. The tax must be used exclusively for initiatives that prevent individuals with behavioral health needs from entering or remaining in the criminal justice system - such as diverting people facing up to class C felony charges, reducing repeated competency evaluations, and creating county-wide strategies for housing and support. Counties must first have a state-approved behavioral health diversion plan before implementing the tax. The law is contingent on another bill (HB 1218) being enacted by August 1, 2025.