Ensuring that offenders who are incarcerated and commit murder may be charged with the death penalty.

 S-0152.1

SENATE BILL 5267

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senators Wagoner and Fortunato

Read first time 01/14/25. Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

AN ACT Relating to ensuring that offenders who are incarcerated and commit murder may be charged with the death penalty; adding new sections to chapter 10.95 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 10.95 RCW to read as follows:

(1) If a person is charged with aggravated first degree murder and the murder occurred while the person was already serving a term of incarceration as provided in RCW 10.95.020 (2), the prosecuting attorney must forward a request for review along with all relevant materials to the death penalty review panel as provided in section 2 of this act for a determination of whether the death penalty should be sought.