Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires 12 months of community custody for convictions of unlawful possession of a firearm in Washington, effective January 1, 2026.

Highlights:

• Requires individuals convicted of the following crimes to be sentenced to community custody for 3 years, in addition to any other sentencing term (Sec. 1):

• A sex offense not sentenced as other common sex offenses under Washington state law (RCW 9.94A.507); or

• A serious violent offense.

• Requires individuals convicted for violent offenses that are not considered serious to be sentenced to 18 months of community custody, in addition to any other sentencing term (Sec. 1).

• Requires individuals convicted of the following crimes to be sentenced to 1 year of community custody, in addition to any other sentencing term (Sec. 1):

• Any crime under the Washington state law statute RCW 9.94A.411(2);

• An offense involving the unlawful possession of a firearm, wherein the offender is a member or associate of a criminal street gang;

• A felony offense committed on or after July 1, 2000;

• A felony violation of the failure to register statute, if it is the offender’s first violation; or

• An offense involving the unlawful possession of a firearm by an offender.

• Requires courts to use pre-existing alternative sentencing guidelines for individuals sentenced under the following (Sec. 1):

• The drug offender sentencing alternative;

• The special sex offender sentencing alternative; 

• Offenders sentenced to a work ethic camp guidelines;

• The parenting sentencing alternative;

• The mental health sentencing alternative; or

• Non-persistent sex offenders guidelines.

• Requires the community custody sentencing guidelines provided by this bill to be reduced, if the combination of the community custody and other sentencing terms exceed the maximum sentence limits for offenders in Washington (Sec. 1).

• Requires individuals sentenced to the Department of Corrections for the following crimes to be additionally sentenced to 3 years of community custody (Sec. 2):

• Sex offenses not sentenced under state sex offender sentencing statutes; or

• Serious violent offenses.

• Requires offenders sentenced under the drug offender sentencing alternative to be sentenced for community custody under (Sec. 2):

• Prison-based alternatives;

• Residential-based alternatives;

• Prison-based alternatives for driving under the influence; or

• Residential-based alternatives for driving under the influence.

• Requires courts to use special sex offender sentencing alternative guidelines in the state sex offender sentencing statutes (Sec. 2).

• Requires courts to use state sentencing guidelines for work ethic camp sentencing alternatives (Sec. 2).

• Requires courts to use state sentencing guidelines for parenting sentencing alternatives (Sec. 2).

• Requires courts to use state sentencing guidelines for mental health sentencing alternatives (Sec. 2).

• Requires courts to use state sentencing guidelines for community custody for nonpersistent sex offenders (Sec. 2).

• Requires the term of community custody to be reduced, if the community custody term in combination with any other sentencing term exceeds the state maximum sentencing limit (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that Section 1 of this bill expires on January 1, 2026 (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that Section 2 of this bill is effective on January 1, 2026 (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text