wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1456 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that Washington state has the lowest number of law enforcement officers per capita in the country with a rate of 1.35 officers per one thousand residents in 2023, down from 1.51 in 2019 and the national average is 2.31 officers per thousand residents. The legislature also finds that during the same time frame of 2019 to 2023, crimes against persons have increased nine percent, property crimes have increased 14 percent, and the number of law enforcement officers assaulted has increased 21 percent. Therefore, the legislature intends to support law enforcement officers and encourage more individuals to be law enforcement officers by restoring reasonable protections from civil liability when performing job duties in accordance with their training, experience, and agency policies, directing the Washington traffic safety commission to coordinate a law enforcement appreciation media campaign, and authorizing law enforcement officers to receive honoraria when giving presentations before higher education classes on criminal justice or forensic science.
It is a complete defense to any action for damages for personal injury or wrongful death that the person injured or killed was engaged in the commission of a felony at the time of the occurrence causing the injury or death and the felony was a proximate cause of the injury or death.
However, nothing in this section shall affect a right of action under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983.
(1) PHYSICAL FORCE. Except as otherwise provided under this section, a peace officer may use physical force against a person to the extent necessary to:
The traffic safety commission using funds appropriated for this specific purpose must develop and implement a law enforcement appreciation media campaign in coordination with a statewide association representing police officers and sheriffs and in consultation with the Washington state patrol. This media campaign is to educate and focus public attention on police officers that have been heroes in their communities, standing between violence and people that would harm others. The goal of the campaign is to let the public know more about how police officers keep people safe in their communities.
The legislature finds that involvement by certified law enforcement officers in college programs can help improve the image of law enforcement within the community, create positive interactions with potential recruits, and inspire individuals to consider a career in law enforcement. A law enforcement officer's duties do not include any obligation to interact with college programs in such a manner.
An institution of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, may engage a general authority Washington peace officer, as defined in RCW 10.93.020, or an officer employed by the state parks and recreation commission, to do a presentation as part of a criminal justice associate, law enforcement, police science, financial forensics and fraud, or forensic science and technology course and pay an honorarium. Such payment is only appropriate when the presentation occurs outside of his or her official duties.
Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs may make presentations and receive honorarium in accordance with section 5 of this act.
Washington state patrol officers may engage in private law enforcement off-duty employment, in uniform or in plainclothes for private benefit, subject to guidelines adopted by the chief of the Washington state patrol. These guidelines must ensure that the integrity and professionalism of the Washington state patrol is preserved. Use of Washington state patrol officer's uniforms shall be considered de minimis use of state property.
Washington state patrol officers may make presentations and receive honorarium in accordance with section 5 of this act.
Designated officers, employed by the commission, shall be vested with police powers to enforce the laws of this state:
Within the boundaries of any state park, including lands owned, managed, or comanaged by the commission under lease or other agreement;
In winter recreation facilities established and administered by the commission pursuant to RCW 79A.05.225(1)(a);
On public roadways and public waterways bisecting the contiguous borders of any state park, including lands owned, managed, or comanaged by the commission under lease or other agreement;
Upon the prior written consent of the sheriff or chief of police in whose primary territorial jurisdiction the exercise of the powers occur;
In response to the request of a peace officer with enforcement authority; and
When the officer is in fresh pursuit for an offense committed in the presence of the officer while the officer had police powers as specified in (a) through (e) of this subsection.
The director may, under the provisions of RCW 7.84.140, enter into an agreement allowing officers of the department of natural resources, the department of fish and wildlife, and tribal law enforcement agencies on contiguous or comanaged property, to enforce certain civil infractions created under this title.
Any officer employed by the commission may make presentations and receive honorarium in accordance with section 5 of this act.
No state officer or state employee may receive any thing of economic value under any contract or grant outside of his or her official duties. The prohibition in this subsection does not apply where the state officer or state employee has complied with RCW 42.52.030(2) or each of the following conditions are met:
The contract or grant is bona fide and actually performed;
The performance or administration of the contract or grant is not within the course of the officer's or employee's official duties, or is not under the officer's or employee's official supervision;
The performance of the contract or grant is not prohibited by RCW 42.52.040 or by applicable laws or rules governing outside employment for the officer or employee;
The contract or grant is neither performed for nor compensated by any person from whom such officer or employee would be prohibited by RCW 42.52.150(4) from receiving a gift;
The contract or grant is not one expressly created or authorized by the officer or employee in his or her official capacity;
The contract or grant would not require unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
In addition to satisfying the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, a state officer or state employee may have a beneficial interest in a grant or contract or a series of substantially identical contracts or grants with a state agency only if:
The contract or grant is awarded or issued as a result of an open and competitive bidding process in which more than one bid or grant application was received; or
The contract or grant is awarded or issued as a result of an open and competitive bidding or selection process in which the officer's or employee's bid or proposal was the only bid or proposal received and the officer or employee has been advised by the appropriate ethics board, before execution of the contract or grant, that the contract or grant would not be in conflict with the proper discharge of the officer's or employee's official duties; or
The process for awarding the contract or issuing the grant is not open and competitive, but the officer or employee has been advised by the appropriate ethics board that the contract or grant would not be in conflict with the proper discharge of the officer's or employee's official duties.
A state officer or state employee awarded a contract or issued a grant in compliance with subsection (2) of this section shall file the contract or grant with the appropriate ethics board within thirty days after the date of execution; however, if proprietary formulae, designs, drawings, or research are included in the contract or grant, the proprietary formulae, designs, drawings, or research may be deleted from the contract or grant filed with the appropriate ethics board.
This section does not prevent a state officer or state employee from receiving compensation contributed from the treasury of the United States, another state, county, or municipality if the compensation is received pursuant to arrangements entered into between such state, county, municipality, or the United States and the officer's or employee's agency. This section does not prohibit a state officer or state employee from serving or performing any duties under an employment contract with a governmental entity.
As used in this section, "officer" and "employee" do not include officers and employees who, in accordance with the terms of their employment or appointment, are serving without compensation from the state of Washington or are receiving from the state only reimbursement of expenses incurred or a predetermined allowance for such expenses.
This section does not prevent a state officer or state employee as identified in section 5(2) of this act from receiving an honorarium in accordance with section 5 of this act.