HB 2036

In Committee

House

Violent firearm offenses

Concerning persons convicted of violent offenses with a firearm.

Introduced (completed)
2
Committee (current stage)
3
Floor Vote (not started)
4
Opposite Chamber (not started)
5
Governor (not started)
6
Signed (not started)

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.

Introduced: March 8, 2025

Last Action: January 12, 2026

Status: H Community Safe

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AI Analysis

This analysis was generated by AI and may contain errors. It is not legal advice. Always refer to the official bill text for authoritative information.

People & CommunitiesPeople-leaningCorporate & Wealthy Interests

HB 2036 prevents people convicted of violent firearm offenses from earning early release credits for the portion of their sentence tied to the firearm enhancement, tightens eligibility for higher early release rates, and adds new requirements for housing and risk assessments before early release. The bill also creates a new section of law and names it the Gavin Looper Act.

Bars people convicted of violent offenses involving a firearm from earning any earned early release credits for the portion of their sentence tied to the firearm enhancement.
Expands the list of offenses that disqualify someone from earning up to 50% early release (currently capped at 10–15%) — including violent offenses, sex offenses, domestic violence, residential burglary, and certain drug offenses.
Requires the Department of Corrections to conduct risk assessments using the Washington State Institute for Public Policy tool to determine eligibility for higher early release rates.
Mandates that people released early must have an approved residence plan, and allows the Department to deny release if the plan poses safety risks.
Authorizes the Department to use rental vouchers and partial confinement as alternatives when an offender cannot secure housing, and requires data collection on voucher effectiveness.

Who is affected

People convicted of violent firearm offenses — People convicted of violent offenses involving a firearm (including those with a firearm enhancement) will be barred from earning early release credits for the portion of their sentence tied to that enhancement.
People serving long-term or high-risk sentences — People serving sentences for serious violent offenses, sex offenses, or other specified crimes may face stricter limits on how much early release time they can earn — or be completely barred if the offense involved a firearm.
People in county jails awaiting sentencing or transfer to state prison — People in county jails awaiting sentencing may see changes in how their pretrial jail time counts toward early release, and those transferred to state custody may have their jail time recalculated under new rules.
Washington Department of Corrections — The Washington Department of Corrections will be responsible for implementing new rules around earned release, conducting risk assessments, approving release plans, and managing housing vouchers — adding administrative and programmatic responsibilities.

Effective: July 1, 2025Fiscal impact: The bill may increase state correctional costs due to longer prison stays for people convicted of violent firearm offenses, and may require additional funding for housing vouchers, risk assessments, and programming support for eligible individuals.

Model: Intel/Qwen3-Coder-Next-int4-AutoRoundGenerated: Mar 19, 2026, 7:31 PM

Pro/Con Analysis

Stronger case for concerns

Potential Benefits (5)

The bill tightens eligibility for higher early release (50%) by excluding more serious offenses and adding firearm-specific ineligibility, which aligns with public safety goals but does not meaningfully benefit or harm any specific group economically.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 1(3)(d)(ii)(A)-(G), Sec. 1(6)(a)
Granting the Department of Corrections independent authority to deny release based on housing plan risks—regardless of court-ordered conditions—strengthens oversight and may prevent unsafe releases, though this is a procedural improvement rather than a distributional change.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 1(5)(c)
Clarifying how presentence jail time and early release credits are transferred from county jails to state custody may reduce administrative errors and improve coordination between local and state correctional systems.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1(1)(b), Sec. 1(5)(d)(i)
Allowing partial confinement as a temporary alternative to unapproved housing may reduce strain on local shelters and emergency services during reentry transitions.
HousingRef: Sec. 1(5)(d)(ii), Sec. 1(5)(e)
Naming the act the “Gavin Looper Act” is symbolic and has no material impact on everyday Washingtonians.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 2

Potential Concerns (5)

By preventing early release for people convicted of violent firearm offenses, the bill may reduce the risk of reoffending by those individuals during their extended incarceration, potentially enhancing community safety.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2)(a), new Sec. 1(6)(b)
Expanding disqualifying offenses for higher early release (up to 50%) to include violent offenses, sex offenses, domestic violence, residential burglary, and certain drug offenses—combined with mandatory risk assessments and housing plan approvals—creates a more rigorous safety evaluation process before release, reducing potential community risk.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(d)(ii)(A)-(G), Sec. 1(4), Sec. 1(5)(c)
Authorizing rental vouchers and partial confinement as alternatives when housing plans are unapproved may reduce homelessness and unstable housing among recently released individuals, supporting safer reintegration.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(d)(ii), Sec. 1(5)(e)
Mandating data collection on voucher effectiveness will improve evidence-based decision-making about reentry support, potentially leading to more effective public safety interventions over time.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(5)(f)
Requiring participation in programming under individual reentry plans and transferring eligible individuals to community custody (instead of earned release) may improve supervision and reduce recidivism by keeping individuals under structured oversight.
Public SafetyLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(3)(d)(v), Sec. 1(5)(a)

Who Is Most Affected

People convicted of violent firearm offensesNegative Impact
People convicted of violent firearm offenses will be barred from earning early release credits for the firearm-enhanced portion of their sentence, resulting in longer prison stays and reduced opportunities for early reentry—especially impactful for those with long sentences or multiple firearm enhancements.
People serving long-term or high-risk sentencesNegative Impact
People serving long-term or high-risk sentences for violent, sex, domestic violence, residential burglary, or certain drug offenses will face stricter caps on early release (10–15% instead of up to 50%), significantly reducing their chance of early reentry and increasing time behind bars.
People in county jails awaiting sentencing or transfer to state prisonMixed Impact
People in county jails awaiting sentencing may face delays or recalculations in how their pretrial time counts toward early release, and those transferred to state custody may lose previously earned credits if their offense falls under new disqualifying categories.
Washington Department of CorrectionsMixed Impact
The Washington Department of Corrections will face increased administrative and programmatic responsibilities—including risk assessments, housing plan approvals, voucher management, and data collection—potentially straining resources and requiring new staffing or training.
Local jails and community service providersMixed Impact
Local jails and correctional facilities may experience increased coordination burdens in certifying early release time and managing transfers, while county housing and social service agencies may see increased demand for transitional support if vouchers are widely used.