PRIA Logo™
WashingtonSB 50682025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Concerning agencies, firefighters, prosecutors, and general or limited authority law enforcement, extending eligibility for employment to all United States citizens or persons legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.

Sponsored By: John Lovick (Democratic)

Became Law

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.

Work authorization required for jails, prisons, prosecutors

Employees who guard adults in state prisons or local jails must be U.S. citizens or legally allowed to work in the U.S. Corrections officers must meet the same rule. Deputy prosecutors and all staff in prosecuting attorneys’ offices must also be citizens or work-authorized. Agencies may only consider such applicants for custody roles, and must follow federal work-authorization rules (8 C.F.R. § 274a.2). These rules apply to people employed on or after 2026-03-18.

Cap on law-enforcement applicant testing fees

If a law-enforcement job requires a psychological test and a polygraph, the agency can charge you a share. You pay up to the test’s actual cost or $400, whichever is less, one time. The agency can offer a payment plan if you cannot pay now. This applies starting 2026-03-18.

Citizenship checks for officer hires

After a conditional job offer, agencies must verify your citizenship or work status. For peace officers, you must show U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or DACA. For corrections officers, you must show U.S. citizenship or legal work authorization. These checks follow federal rules and apply starting 2026-03-18.

Free Policy Watch

You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.

Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.

Pick a topic to get started

My TaxesMy HealthMy BudgetMy MoneyMy Freedom
Or tell us something more specific

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • John Lovick

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Bob Hasegawa

    Democratic • Senate

  • Drew Hansen

    Democratic • Senate

  • Javier Valdez

    Democratic • Senate

  • Jesse Salomon

    Democratic • Senate

  • Lisa Wellman

    Democratic • Senate

  • Manka Dhingra

    Democratic • Senate

  • Marko Liias

    Democratic • Senate

  • Noel Frame

    Democratic • Senate

  • T'wina Nobles

    Democratic • Senate

  • Yasmin Trudeau

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 169 • No: 71

Senate vote • 3/9/2026

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 28 • No: 19 • Other: 2

House vote • 3/6/2026

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 62 • No: 33 • Other: 3

Senate vote • 1/21/2026

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 30 • No: 19

Senate vote • 2/5/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 49 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 3/18/2026.

    3/18/2026Senate

  2. Chapter 103, 2026 Laws.

    3/18/2026Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    3/18/2026legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    3/12/2026legislature

  5. Speaker signed.

    3/11/2026legislature

  6. President signed.

    3/10/2026legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 28; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 2.

    3/9/2026Senate

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

    3/9/2026House

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 62; nays, 33; absent, 0; excused, 3.

    3/6/2026Senate

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/6/2026Senate

  11. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    3/6/2026Senate

  12. Committee amendment not adopted.

    3/6/2026Senate

  13. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    2/27/2026Senate

  14. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    2/25/2026Senate

  15. Minority; do not pass.

    2/23/2026Senate

  16. CS - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

    2/23/2026Senate

  17. CS - Executive action taken by committee.

    2/23/2026Senate

  18. First reading, referred to Community Safety.

    1/26/2026Senate

  19. Third reading, passed; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    1/21/2026Senate

  20. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    1/21/2026Senate

  21. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    1/21/2026Senate

  22. Returned to second reading for amendment.

    1/21/2026Senate

  23. Rules suspended.

    1/21/2026Senate

  24. Placed on third reading by Rules Committee.

    1/13/2026Senate

  25. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

    1/12/2026Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation

Take It Personal

Get Your Personalized Policy View

Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.

Already have an account? Sign in