Bill > HB1896

This bill addresses law enforcement staffing and training in Washington State by creating a new local sales and use tax mechanism to help counties and cities hire more police officers. The legislation is motivated by Washington's current ranking as having the lowest number of law enforcement officers per capita in the nation and high rates of violent and property crimes. Specifically, the bill allows counties and cities to impose a 0.10% sales and use tax that can be credited against state taxes, with the revenue primarily intended to employ additional commissioned law enforcement officers. If a jurisdiction already has more law enforcement officers per 1,000 residents than the national average, the funds can be used for broader criminal justice purposes, such as domestic violence services or programs aimed at reducing criminal justice system interactions. The bill also modifies existing law to require the Criminal Justice Training Commission to provide at least 27 basic law enforcement training classes in fiscal year 2026, increasing to 28 classes in fiscal year 2027, with the legislature required to appropriate sufficient funding. The goal is to support local law enforcement agencies in hiring more officers and providing necessary training, ultimately aiming to reduce violent and property crime rates in Washington State.

Budget and Finance

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1896&Year=2025&Initiative=false