Criminal Justice (Domestic Violence)

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1629: Concerning restrictions on the placement of inmates of different biological sexes in correctional facilities.

HB 1629 prohibits housing inmates in shared cells or rooms with someone of a different biological sex if the inmate has a prior conviction or current charges for a sex offense, violent offense, or domestic violence against a victim of the same sex as the potential roommate. This rule directly affects inmates in Washington state correctional facilities and the staff managing housing assignments. The bill defines "history of sexual or physical violence" as current charges or prior convictions for offenses listed in RCW 9.94A.030. It creates a new requirement for correctional facilities to follow this placement policy.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts inmate housing assignments based on offense types, directly limiting correctional facility practices per 'restricts' indicator.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Domestic Violence

Track

passed · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1113: Concerning accountability and access to services for individuals charged with a misdemeanor.

HB 1113, known as the public SAFE-T Act, creates a pathway for individuals charged with certain simple or gross misdemeanors in Washington state to have their charges dismissed. Under this bill, a court may agree to dismiss a misdemeanor charge if the defendant waives their right to a speedy trial and substantially complies with court-ordered conditions and programs for up to 12 months. Full restitution is a required condition for dismissal, although inability to pay due to indigence is not a barrier if progress is made. However, the bill explicitly excludes a wide range of specific offenses, such as domestic violence, DUI-related charges, and certain assault or firearm offenses, from this dismissal process.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables dismissal of misdemeanor charges after completing court-ordered programs and restitution, promoting diversion over incarceration and reducing recidivism through rehabilitation-focused pathways.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Firearms

Track

signed · Washington · House May 19, 2025

HB 1498: Concerning domestic violence co-responder programs.

HB 1498 establishes a grant program to help cities and counties create and operate domestic violence co-responder programs. These programs deploy domestic violence victim advocates alongside law enforcement to provide on-scene support, resources, and care navigation for victims and their families. The bill creates a dedicated state treasury account, funded primarily by an additional $100 fee on marriage licenses, to support this initiative. The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy will administer these grants, also providing technical assistance and support for billing health insurance for services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new $100 marriage license fee (tax) to fund domestic violence co-responder programs, directly allocating tax revenue to public safety services.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds victim advocates alongside law enforcement for domestic violence response, improving victim support and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5532: Establishing standards for civil proceedings and unprofessional conduct involving child abuse and domestic violence.

SB 5532 requires mandatory training for court personnel handling child abuse and domestic violence cases, including judges, guardians ad litem, and mediators. It mandates 20 hours of initial training and 15 hours every five years, covering all abuse types (sexual, physical, psychological), trauma, bias, and evidence-based best practices. The bill also updates guardian ad litem appointment procedures to ensure qualified personnel are selected through a rotational registry system. These changes aim to improve court decisions in child welfare cases by standardizing education and oversight.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates training for court personnel handling abuse cases to address bias, trauma, and evidence-based practices, strengthening court procedures in criminal justice.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2071: Generating resources to combat domestic violence by imposing an excise tax on owners of online dating applications.

HB 2071 imposes a monthly $1 tax on owners of online dating applications with Washington resident users, calculated based on the number of Washington residents (identified via address or IP) using the app each month. The tax applies to businesses owning 50% or more of such apps and funds must be deposited into a dedicated domestic violence services account for intervention programs and victim assistance. Owners must report resident user counts monthly and maintain records, with accounts inactive for 24+ months no longer taxable. The tax takes effect January 1, 2026, and directly affects online dating app companies operating in Washington.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes new excise tax on app owners to fund domestic violence services, directly allocating tax revenue to a public program per bill's funding mechanism.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds domestic violence intervention programs and victim assistance, directly supporting criminal justice system victim services and prevention efforts.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Domestic Violence

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5274: Concerning body worn cameras within corrections agencies.

SB 5274 establishes a pilot program requiring the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to implement body worn cameras at Green Hill School by January 2026. It expands authorized users of body worn cameras to include officers from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Department of Corrections, and personnel at jails and detention facilities. The bill also adds specific exemptions preventing public disclosure of body worn camera recordings when they contain sensitive information, such as medical details, intimate images, or the identity of victims in domestic violence or sexual assault cases. These changes aim to balance transparency with privacy protections for vulnerable individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates body-worn cameras in corrections for accountability, aligning with reform indicators like oversight and transparency in criminal justice operations.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates exemptions preventing public disclosure of sensitive data in body camera recordings, directly protecting data privacy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Domestic Violence Violent Crime

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1436: Incentivizing cities and counties to increase employment of commissioned law enforcement officers.

HB 1436 allows Washington cities and counties to impose a 0.10% sales tax to fund additional commissioned law enforcement officers. Local governments must use the revenue to hire more officers if their officer-to-population ratio is below the national average, or for other criminal justice programs (like domestic violence services or homelessness initiatives) if their ratio is already above average. The state collects the tax and returns the funds directly to the local jurisdiction. This bill aims to address Washington’s low ranking in law enforcement staffing per capita and high crime rates by creating a dedicated funding mechanism for local governments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates 0.10% sales tax to fund law enforcement hiring, directly allocating tax revenue to public safety programs under fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds additional law enforcement officers and related criminal justice programs (e.g., domestic violence services) through dedicated tax revenue, directly advancing resource allocation in criminal justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1386: Imposing a new tax on firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition.

HB 1386 imposes an 11% sales tax on retail purchases of firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition in Washington State. This tax applies to all retail transactions except sales to state, local, or tribal governments for law enforcement use. Revenue from the tax must fund programs focused on suicide prevention, reducing firearm-related domestic violence, and supporting victims' services. The bill directly affects firearm retailers and individual purchasers, with no exemption for government agency purchases.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes 11% tax on firearms to fund suicide prevention and victim services, directly allocating revenue to public programs as required by the bill.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds suicide prevention and firearm-related domestic violence programs, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing violence and supporting victims.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Domestic Violence Firearms Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1428: Concerning the county criminal justice assistance account and municipal criminal justice assistance account.

HB 1428 establishes two state-funded accounts to support criminal justice services: one for counties and one for cities. It mandates annual transfers of $50 million (increasing by 50% starting in 2026) into these accounts, with county funds distributed based on population (20%), crime rate (30%), and criminal cases (50%). Municipal funds are distributed only to cities meeting a 125% statewide crime rate threshold, with 30% allocated to cities exceeding 175% of the average crime rate. The bill prohibits using these funds to replace existing local funding and restricts spending to criminal justice activities like domestic violence services and law enforcement support.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates $50M annual state funding for criminal justice services, increasing to $75M by 2026, directly funding public safety programs through new appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes state-funded accounts for county/municipal criminal justice services with mandatory $50M annual funding (increasing 50% by 2026), directly advancing resource allocation for justice systems.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1896: Increasing local law enforcement officers by authorizing a local sales and use tax credited against the state portion to hire additional officers and increasing the number of basic law enforcement courses offered by the criminal justice training commission.

HB 1896 authorizes counties and cities in Washington to impose a 0.1% local sales and use tax, with the revenue credited against state tax obligations, to fund hiring additional commissioned law enforcement officers. The bill requires that funds be used primarily for hiring officers to reach at least the national average of officers per capita, with limited exceptions for "criminal justice purposes" like domestic violence services or homelessness programs. It also expands the Criminal Justice Training Commission’s mandate to increase the number of basic law enforcement training courses. The legislation aims to address Washington’s low law enforcement officer-to-population ratio and rising crime rates by providing a dedicated local funding mechanism.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes 0.1% local sales tax to fund law enforcement hiring, increasing public service funding via tax revenue for essential services.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds hiring officers to reach national per capita average and expands criminal justice training, directly advancing law enforcement staffing and training resources.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

Track