S-0253.1
SENATE BILL 5269
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Senators Frame, Lovick, Valdez, Wellman, Hasegawa, Trudeau, Saldaña, Nobles, and C. Wilson
Read first time 01/14/25. Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.
AN ACT Relating to providing judicial discretion to modify sentences in the interest of justice; amending RCW 10.73.100 and 9.94A.535 ; adding a new section to chapter 9.94A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 2.70 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the judicial discretion act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The legislature finds that long-term incarceration disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. The legislature further finds that an expansive body of research demonstrates that persons who are granted early release before finishing lengthy sentences are less likely to recidivate. The legislature further finds that establishing an opportunity to modify a sentence encourages incarcerated individuals to engage in desirable behavior and to take advantage of rehabilitative programming. The legislature further finds that because the cost of long-term incarceration is substantial and the state must use its resources responsibly, providing judges the opportunity to modify lengthy sentences in the interests of justice will result in significant cost savings to the state.