Bill > HB1428

This bill modifies the funding mechanisms for the county criminal justice assistance account and the municipal criminal justice assistance account by significantly increasing the base funding and establishing a mechanism for future increases. Specifically, the bill increases the annual transfer from the general fund from $23.2 million to $50 million for the county account and from $4.6 million to $50 million for the municipal account, with provisions for annual increases based on the fiscal growth factor. Beginning in fiscal year 2026, these amounts will automatically increase by an additional 50 percent. The funds are intended exclusively for criminal justice purposes, such as supporting domestic violence services, law enforcement strategies, and programs to help at-risk children. The bill maintains existing distribution formulas that allocate funds based on factors like population, crime rates, and the number of criminal cases filed, while ensuring that the funds cannot be used to replace existing funding. The legislation also preserves existing provisions allowing a small percentage of the funds to be used for state patrol crime laboratory enhancements and provides specific guidelines for how cities and counties can use these funds to support their criminal justice systems.

Budget and Finance

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1428&Year=2025&Initiative=false