H-1183.2
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1399
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By House Community Safety (originally sponsored by Representatives Goodman, Fitzgibbon, Reed, Doglio, and Ormsby)
READ FIRST TIME 02/10/25.
AN ACT Relating to modernizing, harmonizing, and clarifying laws concerning sheriffs, chiefs, marshals, and police matrons; amending RCW 35.21.333 , 35.21.334 , 35.23.161 , 35.27.240 , 36.28.010 , 36.28.025 , 43.101.095 , 10.93.170 , 36.28.020 , 43.101.380 , and 43.101.400 ; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 36.28 RCW; creating a new section; and repealing RCW 35.66.010 , 35.66.020 , 35.66.030 , 35.66.040 , 35.66.050 , and 36.28.011 .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that specific laws governing the eligibility requirements, duties, and responsibilities of sheriffs, police chiefs, and marshals should be updated and revised to reflect current best practices, and to ensure that local law enforcement executives, whether sheriffs, police chiefs, or marshals, whether appointed or elected, or whether partisan or nonpartisan, are subject to the same requirements and standards. By establishing such consistent requirements and standards, the legislature intends to enhance the effectiveness, professionalism, and accountability of law enforcement executives, to promote public trust and confidence in law enforcement, and to increase community safety.
Because all those who serve in law enforcement must maintain their peace officer certification, the legislature finds that state law should be clear regarding actions taken when a sheriff, police chief, or marshal has their certification revoked, to ensure that state law reflects consistent principles of strong accountability for all ranks.