Bill > HB1909

This bill establishes a Court Unification Task Force to study and address inefficiencies and inequities within Washington's court system, which currently faces challenges due to differing local court rules, inconsistent technology adoption, and varying funding levels that create barriers for citizens seeking legal help, particularly those in rural areas or with limited income. The task force will be comprised of representatives from the legislature, cities, counties, court clerks, various judicial branches, tribal courts, public defense and legal aid offices, the administrative office of the courts, the office of administrative hearings, the state bar association, prosecuting attorneys, paralegals, community-based organizations, law enforcement, and survivors of gender-based violence, as well as individuals with lived experience as litigants or formerly incarcerated persons, and will be co-chaired by the chair of the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This task force is empowered to form subcommittees to focus on specific issues, will hold its first meeting by October 1, 2026, and must complete its work and submit a final report with proposed solutions and a strategic plan by December 31, 2029, after which this new chapter in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which codifies these provisions, will expire.