SSB 5227
In CommitteeSenate
Child sex dolls
Concerning offenses involving child sex dolls.
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 makes it a class B felony to manufacture, sell, import, or possess a child sex doll—defined as a realistic-looking object intended to resemble a minor—even if it also has adult features. It also adds new penalties, fines, and property forfeiture rules, and updates the state’s felony sentencing grid to include these offenses.
- Defines a 'child sex doll' as any object that a reasonable person would believe resembles a minor (even if it also has adult features) or is advertised as representing a minor.
- Creates four new class B felonies: trafficking, manufacturing, importing/sending into the state, and possession of a child sex doll—each with a separate unit of prosecution per doll.
- Adds $1,000 fines per conviction for violations, collected by courts and deposited into the child rescue fund.
- Expands property forfeiture authority to include child sex dolls, manufacturing equipment, and related property, with procedures for seizure, claim, and disposition.
- Adds manufacturing, importing/sending, and possession of child sex dolls to the list of crimes in each seriousness level on the felony sentencing grid (specifically, manufacturing and sending/bringing into state are Level XII; possession is Level VI).
Who is affected
- Manufacturers, sellers, importers, and possessors of child sex dolls — Individuals who manufacture, sell, import, or possess child sex dolls for any purpose—including personal use—face criminal prosecution and potential incarceration.
- Law enforcement agencies — Law enforcement agencies gain new authority to seize and forfeit child sex dolls and related equipment, and may retain forfeited property or proceeds for enforcement purposes.
- Courts and administrative law judges — Courts and administrative law judges will handle forfeiture proceedings involving child sex dolls, including hearings on claims of ownership or interest.
- State and local governments — The state and local governments will collect $1,000 fines per conviction and 10% of forfeiture proceeds, which go to specific state funds.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (4)
Imposes $1,000 fines per conviction, deposited into the child rescue fund, which supports victim services, prevention programs, and investigative resources for actual child sexual abuse cases. This creates a direct funding stream to protect real victims—though the bill conflates fictional objects with real abuse, the revenue is likely to benefit actual survivors.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 3; RCW 9.68A.200Requires law enforcement agencies to remit 10% of net forfeiture proceeds to the prostitution prevention and intervention account, directing funds toward combating real-world exploitation. While forfeiture powers are broad, this provision ensures some seized assets support victim services rather than agency budgets, reducing perverse incentives.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 4(10)(a); RCW 43.63A.740Adds child sex doll offenses to the felony sentencing grid, ensuring consistent, serious penalties for trafficking and manufacturing—categories where harm to children is most plausible. This aligns penalties with the severity of commercial exploitation, even if personal possession penalties are excessive.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)–(4); RCW 9.94A.515Expands forfeiture authority to include manufacturing equipment and conveyances, enabling law enforcement to disrupt supply chains of harmful goods. While overbroad, this tool can help dismantle commercial operations that produce and distribute exploitative materials—though the definition risks overreach.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 4(1), (2)
Potential Concerns (5)
Criminalizes possession of a child sex doll as a class B felony, exposing individuals to up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine per doll—even for personal, non-commercial, non-harmful possession with no evidence of use or intent to harm minors. This expands criminal liability to conduct with no direct victim or harm, eroding individual liberty without clear public safety justification.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 2(4); RCW 9A.20.021(1)(b)Mandates asset forfeiture of dolls, manufacturing equipment, and conveyances—even if used innocently or without knowledge—without requiring a conviction for related crimes. This creates perverse incentives for law enforcement to seize property based on low-probability violations (e.g., internet purchases of ambiguous items), potentially chilling lawful expression and disproportionately impacting low-income individuals unable to contest forfeiture.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 3; Sec. 4(1), (2), (10)Imposes strict liability on manufacturers, sellers, and importers—even for items that are legal, non-harmful, or imported unknowingly—without requiring proof of intent, knowledge of minor resemblance, or commercial scale. This creates significant legal risk for small businesses and online retailers, potentially driving legitimate commerce out of state or into unregulated markets.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(1)–(4); Sec. 4(1)Shifts enforcement and forfeiture administrative costs to local governments and courts, requiring judges and administrative law judges to adjudicate forfeiture claims—adding bureaucratic burden without new funding. Local agencies must absorb costs for seizure, storage, and legal proceedings, diverting resources from higher-priority crimes.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(4); RCW 9.68A.120(2)(b)Classifies simple possession as a class B felony—equivalent to assault and rape—without distinguishing between possession for personal use, commercial distribution, or non-harmful novelty items. This overcriminalization risks disproportionate sentencing, especially for individuals with mental health or addiction issues, and may strain correctional resources without demonstrable crime reduction.
Public SafetyLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(4); RCW 9A.20.021(1)(b)
Who Is Most Affected
Individuals who possess or purchase child sex dolls for personal use face felony charges, potential incarceration, and asset seizure—even for non-harmful, non-commercial items. Low-income individuals are especially vulnerable due to limited ability to contest forfeiture or hire legal counsel.
Online retailers and small manufacturers face high legal risk for items that may ambiguously resemble minors or be imported unknowingly. Even legitimate businesses (e.g., sex toy retailers) may be forced to stop selling certain products, reducing consumer choice and increasing compliance costs.
Law enforcement gains new seizure authority and funding streams, but must also absorb administrative and legal costs of forfeiture proceedings. Agencies may prioritize these cases for asset recovery, potentially diverting resources from violent crime investigations.
Courts and administrative law judges face increased caseloads from forfeiture hearings and felony prosecutions, especially where defendants cannot afford legal representation. This strains public defender and judicial resources without new funding.
Victim service providers benefit from increased funding through the child rescue fund and prostitution prevention account, potentially expanding support for real abuse survivors. However, the bill’s conflation of fictional objects with actual harm may dilute public understanding of real child sexual abuse.