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Bill > SB5974

WA SB5974

WA SB5974
Modernizing and strengthening laws concerning sheriffs, police chiefs, town marshals, law enforcement agency volunteers, youth cadets, specially commissioned officers, and police matrons.

summary

Introduced
01/12/2026
In Committee
02/25/2026
Crossed Over
02/12/2026
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

AN ACT Relating to modernizing and strengthening laws concerning 2 sheriffs, police chiefs, town marshals, law enforcement agency 3 volunteers, youth cadets, specially commissioned officers, and police 4 matrons; amending RCW 35.21.333, 35.21.334, 35.23.161, 35.27.240, 5 36.28.010, 36.28.025, 42.12.010, 43.101.095, 43.101.115, 10.93.170, 6 36.28.020, and 43.101.400; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; 7 adding a new section to chapter 35A.21 RCW; adding a new section to 8 chapter 36.01 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 36.28 RCW; 9 creating a new section; repealing RCW 35.66.010, 35.66.020, 10 35.66.030, 35.66.040, 35.66.050, and 36.28.011; providing effective 11 dates; and declaring an emergency. 12

AI Summary

This bill modernizes and strengthens laws concerning law enforcement leaders and personnel by establishing consistent eligibility requirements, duties, and standards for sheriffs, police chiefs, and town marshals, including a minimum age of 25, a high school diploma or equivalent, and a minimum of five years of law enforcement experience, while also requiring background checks and peace officer certification. It clarifies that sheriffs must uphold both the U.S. and Washington state constitutions and laws, and it sets new regulations for the use of volunteers, youth cadets, and specially commissioned officers, limiting their authority to roles that do not involve law enforcement powers unless they are certified peace officers, and requiring clear identification to distinguish them from sworn officers. The bill also repeals outdated laws related to police matrons and establishes that sheriffs, police chiefs, and town marshals can have their certification revoked or denied for misconduct, which can lead to their removal from office, and it mandates that all law enforcement personnel maintain their certification.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs, Justice

Sponsors (11)

Last Action

House Floor Amendment - Abell 5974-S2 AMH ABEL PATT 419 (on 03/05/2026)

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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5974&Year=2025&Initiative=false
Abell 5974-S2 AMH ABEL PATT 419 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20ABEL%20PATT%20419.pdf
Ybarra 5974-S2 AMH YBAR LANG 255 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20YBAR%20LANG%20255.pdf
Waters 5974-S2 AMH WATE PATT 417 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20WATE%20PATT%20417.pdf
Waters 5974-S2 AMH WATE MORI 374 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20WATE%20MORI%20374.pdf
Waters 5974-S2 AMH WATE LANG 246 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20WATE%20LANG%20246.pdf
Walsh 5974-S2 AMH WALJ MORI 378 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20WALJ%20MORI%20378.pdf
Walsh 5974-S2 AMH WALJ LANG 238 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20WALJ%20LANG%20238.pdf
Walsh 5974-S2 AMH WALJ LANG 230 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20WALJ%20LANG%20230.pdf
Valdez 5974-S2 AMH VALM PATT 421 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20VALM%20PATT%20421.pdf
Stuebe 5974-S2 AMH STUE LANG 253 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20STUE%20LANG%20253.pdf
Stuebe 5974-S2 AMH STUE LANG 249 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20STUE%20LANG%20249.pdf
Schmidt 5974-S2 AMH SCHM LANG 235 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20SCHM%20LANG%20235.pdf
Schmidt 5974-S2 AMH SCHM LANG 234 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20SCHM%20LANG%20234.pdf
Rude 5974-S2 AMH RUDE LANG 256 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20RUDE%20LANG%20256.pdf
Penner 5974-S2 AMH PENN LANG 239 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20PENN%20LANG%20239.pdf
Penner 5974-S2 AMH PENN LANG 232 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20PENN%20LANG%20232.pdf
Mendoza 5974-S2 AMH MEND LANG 245 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20MEND%20LANG%20245.pdf
Marshall 5974-S2 AMH MARS PATT 418 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20MARS%20PATT%20418.pdf
Marshall 5974-S2 AMH MARS MORI 376 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20MARS%20MORI%20376.pdf
Marshall 5974-S2 AMH MARS LANG 242 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20MARS%20LANG%20242.pdf
Manjarrez 5974-S2 AMH MANJ LANG 250 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20MANJ%20LANG%20250.pdf
Ley 5974-S2 AMH LEYJ LANG 251 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20LEYJ%20LANG%20251.pdf
Klicker 5974-S2 AMH KLIC MORI 377 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20KLIC%20MORI%20377.pdf
Keaton 5974-S2 AMH KEAT LANG 240 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20KEAT%20LANG%20240.pdf
Jacobsen 5974-S2 AMH JACO WEHL 411 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20JACO%20WEHL%20411.pdf
Griffey 5974-S2 AMH GRIF LANG 254 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20GRIF%20LANG%20254.pdf
Griffey 5974-S2 AMH GRIF LANG 247 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20GRIF%20LANG%20247.pdf
Graham 5974-S2 AMH GRAH WEHL 412 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20GRAH%20WEHL%20412.pdf
Goodman 5974-S2 AMH GOOD LANG 261 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20GOOD%20LANG%20261.pdf
Fosse 5974-S2 AMH FOSS LANG 236 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20FOSS%20LANG%20236.pdf
Eslick 5974-S2 AMH ESLI LANG 233 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20ESLI%20LANG%20233.pdf
Engell 5974-S2 AMH ENGE LANG 248 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20ENGE%20LANG%20248.pdf
Dye 5974-S2 AMH DYEM LANG 252 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20DYEM%20LANG%20252.pdf
Dufault 5974-S2 AMH DUFA MORI 382 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20DUFA%20MORI%20382.pdf
Dufault 5974-S2 AMH DUFA LANG 237 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20DUFA%20LANG%20237.pdf
Dufault 5974-S2 AMH DUFA LANG 231 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20DUFA%20LANG%20231.pdf
Couture 5974-S2 AMH COUT WEHL 413 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20COUT%20WEHL%20413.pdf
Corry 5974-S2 AMH CORR MORI 373 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20CORR%20MORI%20373.pdf
Connors 5974-S2 AMH CONN MORI 383 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20CONN%20MORI%20383.pdf
Burnett 5974-S2 AMH BURN WEHL 410 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20BURN%20WEHL%20410.pdf
Burnett 5974-S2 AMH BURN MORI 379 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20BURN%20MORI%20379.pdf
Burnett 5974-S2 AMH BURN MORI 375 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20BURN%20MORI%20375.pdf
Burnett 5974-S2 AMH BURN LANG 257 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20BURN%20LANG%20257.pdf
Burnett 5974-S2 AMH BURN LANG 244 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20BURN%20LANG%20244.pdf
Barnard 5974-S2 AMH BARN WEHL 414 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20BARN%20WEHL%20414.pdf
Abell 5974-S2 AMH ABEL PATT 426 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20ABEL%20PATT%20426.pdf
Abell 5974-S2 AMH ABEL LANG 243 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20ABEL%20LANG%20243.pdf
Abell 5974-S2 AMH ABEL LANG 241 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20ABEL%20LANG%20241.pdf
Fiscal Note - 5974 2SSB (Partial) https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=77373
Goodman 5974-S2 AMH GOOD H3747.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20GOOD%20H3747.1.pdf
Second substitute House bill report https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/5974-S2%20HBR%20CS%2026.pdf
Community Safety 5974-S2 AMH CS H3687.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/House/5974-S2%20AMH%20CS%20H3687.1.pdf
Second substitute House bill analysis 2026 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/House/5974-S2%20HBA%20CS%2026.pdf
Fiscal Note - 5974 2SSB (Partial) https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=76970
Fiscal Note - 5974 2SSB (Partial) https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=76858
Second substitute Senate bill report https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5974-S2%20SBR%20APS%2026.pdf
Wilson, J. 5974-S2 AMS WILJ S5081.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20WILJ%20S5081.1.pdf
Wagoner 5974-S2 AMS WAGO S5090.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20WAGO%20S5090.1.pdf
Short 5974-S2 AMS SHOR S5113.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20SHOR%20S5113.1.pdf
Short 5974-S2 AMS SHOR S5074.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20SHOR%20S5074.1.pdf
Schoesler 5974-S2 AMS SCHO S5109.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20SCHO%20S5109.1.pdf
Holy 5974-S2 AMS HOLY S5083.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20HOLY%20S5083.1.pdf
Holy 5974-S2 AMS HOLY S4982.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20HOLY%20S4982.1.pdf
Fortunato 5974-S2 AMS FORT S5107.1 https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5974-S2%20AMS%20FORT%20S5107.1.pdf
BillText https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5974-S2.pdf
Senate bill report https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5974%20SBR%20WM%20OC%2026.pdf
Senate bill report https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5974%20SBR%20WM%20TA%2026.pdf
Fiscal Note - 5974 SSB (Final) https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=76290
Fiscal Note - 5974 SSB (Partial) https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=76066
Fiscal Note - 5974 SB (Final) https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=75519
Fiscal Note - 5974 SB (Partial) https://fnspublic.ofm.wa.gov/FNSPublicSearch/GetPDF?packageID=75193
Senate bill report https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5974%20SBA%20WM%2026.pdf
BillText https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5974-S.pdf
Senate bill report https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5974%20SBR%20LAW%20OC%2026.pdf
Senate bill report https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5974%20SBR%20LAW%20TA%2026.pdf
Senate bill report (orig.) https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5974%20SBA%20LAW%2026.pdf
BillText https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5974.pdf
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