2025 Legislative Session Priorities
Stay engaged this legislative session!
We are paying special attention to legislation that supports alternatives to incarceration and disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline.
If you’re not sure where to start, our team has compiled a list of bills that we’re watching this year.
Alternatives to Incarceration:
"Improving Developmentally Appropriate Alternatives for Youth Outside the Formal Court Process"
This bill would work to expand Pre Filing Court-Based Diversion for youth and young adults in Washington State.
SB 5266 | HB 1111 Hope Act “An act relating to people convicted of one or more crimes committed before the person's 18th birthday petitioning the indeterminate sentence review board after reaching the age of 24 or older.”
Allows a person convicted of a crime committed prior to the person's 18th birthday to petition the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board for early release at age 24, provided the person has not been convicted of a crime committed in the 12 months prior to filing a petition, among other conditions.
Additionally, this allows the Department of Corrections to provide rental vouchers to successful petitioners who are ordered to be released if rental assistance will allow the petitioner to safely release.
This bill is being led by Youth from Green Hill Capitol Classroom & Echo Glen
HB 1248 Improving the effectiveness of juvenile justice programs by providing ongoing evaluations and clarifying juvenile diversion practices.
HB 1248 will work to keep youth out of state prison when possible by providing individualized sentencing
This bill is being led by the King County Department of Public Defense
Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline
SB 5052 Modifying law enforcement's ability to contact juvenile witnesses and victims not suspected of criminal involvement or activity.
SB 5007 Supporting students who are chronically absent and at risk for not graduating high school
This bill will work on the development of robust early warning systems to identify students who are chronically absent and connect them with the necessary support to reengage them in academic learning.
You can keep track of legislation by visiting https://leg.wa.gov/
FAQs
What do the different letters and numbers of a bill mean?
HB = House Bill
SB = Senate Bill
S = Substitute (it replaces an original bill)
E = Engrossed (it includes amendments)
Below 1000: Initiatives and referenda
1000 - 3999 = House Bills
4000 - 7999 = Senate Bills
What’s the difference between HB and SB?
A bill can be introduced in either the Senate or House of Representative. It’s referred to a committee for a hearing. The committee reviews the bill and may hold public hearings on it. Then, the committee will pass, reject, or take no action on the bill. The House and Senate can introduce sister bills as a strategy to get the bill passed. If the bill is rejected in the House, there is a possibility that it may pass in the Senate.