HB 1095
In CommitteeHouse
Law enforcement funding
Incentivizing cities and counties to attract and retain commissioned law enforcement officers.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill allows Washington cities and counties to impose a 0.10% local sales and use tax to fund law enforcement recruitment and retention, with funding required to prioritize officer hiring and retention. It also updates training requirements for limited authority peace officers and clarifies state support for local agencies during officer training.
- Authorizes cities and counties to impose a local 0.10% sales and use tax to fund law enforcement recruitment and retention, with phased rollout based on population (starting January 1, 2026 for small jurisdictions).
- Requires at least 50% of new tax revenue to be used exclusively for attracting and retaining commissioned law enforcement officers; remaining funds may support broader criminal justice purposes, including domestic violence services and programs to reduce homelessness and improve behavioral health (through December 31, 2025).
- Amends training requirements for limited authority Washington peace officers, clarifying that those hired on or after July 1, 2023 must complete basic training within 12 months, while earlier-hired officers are not required to complete the full academy but may need supplemental training.
- Requires the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission to provide basic law enforcement training and to reimburse agencies with 10 or fewer full-time patrol officers for the cost of temporary replacements during officer training.
- Clarifies that officers with prior experience in certain state agencies (e.g., DNR, Gambling Commission, etc.) who have completed equivalency training and maintained continuous employment are not required to repeat the basic academy when transferring between agencies.
Who is affected
- Local governments (cities and counties) — Cities and counties across Washington gain the authority to impose a local sales and use tax (0.10%) to fund law enforcement recruitment and retention, with timing based on population size.
- Law enforcement agencies — Law enforcement agencies in Washington may receive funding to support hiring and keeping officers, and must use at least half of the new tax revenue for this purpose.
- Consumers and residents — Residents in affected cities and counties may pay an additional 0.10% sales or use tax, depending on local adoption, to support law enforcement efforts.
- Limited authority peace officers — Limited authority Washington peace officers (e.g., parking enforcement, campus police, certain state investigators) gain clearer training requirements and pathways to full certification.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Mandating at least 50% of new tax revenue for officer recruitment and retention directly addresses Washington’s documented law enforcement staffing crisis, improving local capacity to respond to crime and emergencies.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)(a)Allowing use of remaining funds for domestic violence services, homelessness reduction, and behavioral health creates a more holistic public safety approach—especially valuable in jurisdictions where mental health crises drive 911 calls.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)(b)Clarifying that experienced limited authority peace officers (e.g., DNR, Gambling Commission) can transfer between agencies without repeating the academy reduces training costs and barriers to career mobility for mid-level public safety staff.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 4(2)(b)(iii)Exempting pre-2023 limited authority peace officers from mandatory full academy completion protects due process and avoids forced termination of experienced non-commissioned officers who may lack resources to complete full training.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 4(2)(b)(ii)State reimbursement for temporary replacements during training for agencies with ≤10 full-time patrol officers helps small rural and tribal departments retain coverage while officers train—reducing service gaps in underserved areas.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 4(3)
Potential Concerns (5)
All consumers and residents in jurisdictions that adopt the 0.10% local sales tax will pay an additional tax on purchases, which disproportionately affects low- and middle-income households that spend a larger share of income on taxable goods.
FinancialRef: Sec. 2(1)(a)The bill allows up to 50% of tax revenue to be used for broader criminal justice purposes—including domestic violence services, homelessness, and behavioral health—but does not mandate that those funds be used *exclusively* for those purposes, creating risk of underfunding intended social services if agencies prioritize officer hiring.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(3)(b)The 50% minimum spending requirement for officer recruitment/retention may crowd out other high-need public safety investments (e.g., mental health crisis response, violence interruption programs) in jurisdictions where budgets are tight and tax revenue is limited.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2(3)(a)The temporary inclusion of homelessness and behavioral health programs as eligible uses (through Dec. 31, 2025) is not permanent and expires without further legislative action, creating uncertainty for long-term public health infrastructure.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 2(3)(b)Phased rollout by population size may delay tax adoption in smaller jurisdictions, potentially leaving rural and suburban areas behind in addressing officer shortages—especially where recruitment challenges are acute but resources are scarce.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 3
Who Is Most Affected
Low- and middle-income households in adopting jurisdictions will pay more for everyday goods due to the 0.10% sales tax, which falls regressive—though they may benefit from improved police response and expanded social services if local governments prioritize those uses.
Small law enforcement agencies (≤10 patrol officers) gain access to state-funded temporary replacements during training and may benefit from increased hiring capacity, but face pressure to prioritize officer pay over other public safety needs to meet the 50% spending floor.
Limited authority peace officers gain clearer training pathways and protection from forced retraining upon inter-agency transfers, improving career stability—but those without prior experience in specified agencies may still face barriers to full certification.
Local governments gain new revenue authority but must balance statutory spending requirements; wealthier jurisdictions may see net fiscal gain, while smaller/rural ones may struggle with compliance costs and political resistance to tax adoption.
State and federal agencies (e.g., DNR, Gambling Commission) benefit from streamlined officer mobility for their experienced personnel, but the state bears administrative costs for tax collection—though the bill specifies no net cost to the state budget.