HB 2096

In Committee

House

Attorney general inv. ID

Addressing the issuance of confidential identification to investigators employed by the office of the attorney general.

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: January 11, 2026

Last Action: January 12, 2026

Status: H Transportation

Companion Bill: #5829

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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

This bill allows the state to issue special confidential IDs to attorney general investigators who need them for undercover or covert law enforcement work. These IDs are not for regular use and are only valid during active undercover assignments.

The Washington State Department of Licensing may issue confidential driver’s licenses and identicards to attorney general investigators, but only for use in undercover or covert civil or criminal law enforcement operations.
These IDs must follow standard expiration rules but are only valid for the duration of the investigator’s assigned undercover/covert operation.
The Department of Licensing director may adopt rules to manage how these IDs are requested and used.

Who is affected

Investigators employed by the Office of the Attorney General — Investigators in the Attorney General's Office who need to work undercover or in covert operations will be able to obtain state-issued IDs that help conceal their real identity during assignments.
Washington State Department of Licensing — The Washington State Department of Licensing will be responsible for issuing and managing these special confidential IDs under new rules.
Other law enforcement agencies and partners — Law enforcement agencies and partners may benefit from improved officer safety and operational security when investigators use these confidential IDs during sensitive investigations.

Fiscal impact: The bill does not specify a fiscal impact; any costs would likely be minimal and tied to administrative changes (e.g., new ID production, rulemaking) handled by the Department of Licensing.

Model: Intel/Qwen3-Coder-Next-int4-AutoRoundGenerated: Mar 20, 2026, 2:07 AM

Pro/Con Analysis

Stronger case for benefits

Potential Benefits (3)

Confidential IDs will enhance the safety and effectiveness of Attorney General investigators conducting undercover operations by reducing the risk of identity exposure, which could prevent retaliation, compromise of investigations, or harm to informants.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)
Improved operational security may lead to more successful investigations of serious crimes (e.g., human trafficking, drug trafficking, organized crime), indirectly benefiting communities by increasing accountability and deterrence.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)
The requirement that IDs be valid only during active undercover assignments limits potential for misuse and ensures the IDs are not used for personal or non-official purposes, aligning with standard law enforcement protocols.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1(1)(b)

Potential Concerns (2)

The bill creates a new category of state-issued IDs that may be used to conceal identity during law enforcement operations, potentially enabling deceptive practices that could erode public trust in government if misuse occurs—though the bill limits use to active undercover assignments, oversight mechanisms are not explicitly required.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)
The bill delegates rulemaking authority to the Department of Licensing director without requiring public reporting or legislative oversight, reducing transparency around how and when these IDs are issued and used.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1(2)

Who Is Most Affected

Attorney General investigatorsPositive Impact
Investigators gain critical tools to protect their safety and operational integrity during sensitive investigations; this directly supports their ability to perform high-risk duties without fear of identification or retaliation.
Washington State Department of LicensingMixed Impact
The Department of Licensing gains new administrative responsibilities but has no added statutory funding; any costs (e.g., ID production, rule development, internal tracking) would likely be absorbed within existing budgets, potentially diverting resources from other ID-related services.
Other law enforcement agenciesPositive Impact
Local and federal law enforcement partners benefit from improved interoperability and officer safety during joint operations, but only if the AG’s use of confidential IDs is coordinated and shared with appropriate protocols.
General publicMixed Impact
The general public may benefit from more effective enforcement of serious crimes, but also faces a small risk of reduced transparency in government operations if misuse occurs without oversight.
Crime victims and at-risk communitiesPositive Impact
Victims and communities affected by organized crime, trafficking, or fraud may see improved case resolution rates due to safer and more effective investigations, but only if the tool is used consistently and ethically.