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WashingtonHB 20152025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Improving public safety funding by providing resources to local governments and state and local criminal justice agencies, and authorizing a local option tax.

Sponsored By: Debra Entenman (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Optional local sales tax raises shopping costs

Beginning July 27, 2025, qualified Washington cities and counties can add a 0.1% sales and use tax. You pay it only where adopted, on top of existing taxes: $1 extra for each $1,000 in taxable purchases. Local leaders can authorize the tax by June 30, 2028. Jurisdictions that miss that deadline can seek voter approval; a majority must vote yes. The jurisdiction must meet the grant program’s policy and training requirements and submit documents to the state training commission. It cannot qualify if voters repealed or rejected either specified local criminal-justice tax within the previous 12 months. The commission must report deficiencies if it cannot verify compliance within 45 calendar days. The jurisdiction can authorize the tax after submitting added documents addressing those deficiencies. If deficiencies remain unresolved 180 calendar days after initial submission, the state withholds $100,000 in tax collections each month. Withholding continues until compliance is verified. Revenue is restricted to criminal-justice purposes, including domestic violence services, adequately funded public defenders, diversion, and reentry. Required purposes also include related homelessness and behavioral-health programs, community placements for juvenile offenders, and community outreach. Adopting governments must report spending to their city or county association. Those associations must send a combined legislative report by December 1, 2025, and annually afterward.

Public safety grants with local funding requirements

Beginning July 27, 2025, Washington provides grants for local and tribal law enforcement, crisis-response teams, training, and public-safety work. Eligible hiring includes county corrections officers, peer counselors, and behavioral health staff. Grants cover up to 75% of entry-level pay and benefits for up to 36 months, capped at $125,000 per position. Local applicants must provide at least a 25% cash match; lateral hires are excluded. Except for tribal agencies, applicants must already receive funding from a qualifying sales and use tax. Agencies must meet rules for force, de-escalation, firearm relinquishment, volunteer conduct, and certified leadership without disqualifying convictions. They must report use-of-force data once the reporting system operates. At least 25% of officers must complete the commission’s 40-hour crisis training. All officers required to take trauma-informed and gender-based violence training must comply. Applicants must submit staffing plans, flexible-schedule information, and 911 response and case-closure rates for the previous 12 months. The commission can advance training costs, including overtime, to otherwise eligible agencies lacking required training. New crisis-response teams and community-immersion policing receive first priority, followed by agencies adding officers to existing teams. A dedicated account holds appropriations, gifts, grants, and other funds exclusively for these grants. Spending requires an appropriation and commission approval; funds cannot replace general fund appropriations. No total funding amount is specified. The program ends June 30, 2028. Commission reports cover applications and awards annually beginning July 21, 2026, through December 31, 2029. A statewide staffing summary covering July 1 counts for 2020–2025 is due January 1, 2026; that requirement expires July 1, 2026.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Debra Entenman

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

  • Amy Walen

    Democratic • House

  • April Berg

    Democratic • House

  • Beth Doglio

    Democratic • House

  • Brandy Donaghy

    Democratic • House

  • Chris Stearns

    Democratic • House

  • Edwin Obras

    Democratic • House

  • Gerry Pollet

    Democratic • House

  • Kristine Reeves

    Democratic • House

  • Lisa Parshley

    Democratic • House

  • Melanie Morgan

    Democratic • House

  • My-Linh Thai

    Democratic • House

  • Osman Salahuddin

    Democratic • House

  • Rob Chase

    Republican • House

  • Sharon Tomiko Santos

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 266 • No: 264

House vote • 4/22/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 55 • No: 42 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 4/16/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yes: 30 • No: 19

House vote • 3/11/2025

517 Orcutt Pg 3 Ln 28

Yes: 43 • No: 53 • Other: 2

House vote • 3/11/2025

558 Abell Pg 3 Ln 37

Yes: 43 • No: 53 • Other: 2

House vote • 3/11/2025

547 Couture Pg 4 Ln 17

Yes: 41 • No: 55 • Other: 2

House vote • 3/11/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 54 • No: 42 • Other: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    5/19/2025House

  2. Chapter 350, 2025 Laws.

    5/19/2025House

  3. Governor signed.

    5/19/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/25/2025legislature

  5. President signed.

    4/24/2025legislature

  6. Speaker signed.

    4/23/2025legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 55; nays, 42; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    4/22/2025House

  8. House concurred in Senate amendments.

    4/22/2025House

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

    4/16/2025House

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/16/2025House

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.

    4/16/2025House

  12. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    4/11/2025House

  13. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    4/8/2025House

  14. Minority; without recommendation.

    4/8/2025House

  15. Minority; do not pass.

    4/8/2025House

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

    4/8/2025House

  17. Referred to Ways & Means.

    4/2/2025House

  18. And refer to Ways & Means.

    4/1/2025House

  19. Minority; without recommendation.

    4/1/2025House

  20. Minority; do not pass.

    4/1/2025House

  21. LAW - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

    4/1/2025House

  22. First reading, referred to Law & Justice.

    3/13/2025House

  23. Third reading, passed; yeas, 54; nays, 42; absent, 0; excused, 2.

    3/11/2025House

  24. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/11/2025House

  25. Floor amendment(s) adopted.

    3/11/2025House

Bill Text

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