wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1829 > Substitute Bill
Subject to the provisions of RCW 10.32.050, a place of detention shall deliver or make available a person in custody to the noncertified tribe without a judicial order of surrender provided that:
Such person is alleged to have broken the terms of his or her probation, parole, bail, or any other release of the noncertified tribe; and
The place of detention has received from the noncertified tribe an authenticated copy of a prior waiver of extradition signed by such person as a term of his or her probation, parole, bail, or any other release of the noncertified tribe and photographs or fingerprints or other evidence properly identifying the person as the person who signed the waiver.
As used in this section, "authenticated copy" means a copy of a prior waiver of extradition signed by an authorized representative of the tribal court attesting the document is a true record of the tribal court waiver of extradition.
The certified or noncertified tribe demanding the extradition of a tribal fugitive pursuant to this chapter shall have standing in any hearing in state court testing the legality of the extradition.
Upon issuing a tribal warrant, the court of a certified tribe may file such warrant with the superior court of the county in which the certified tribe is physically located. Any tribal warrant so filed shall be enforced by the court and peace officers of this state as if it were an arrest warrant of the state if it is accompanied by:
A certified copy of the charging document;
The tribal code provision, constitutional provision, or federal statute authorizing the certified tribe to exercise criminal jurisdiction over the tribal fugitive for whom the tribal warrant has been issued; and
A photograph, fingerprints, and other identifying information for the tribal fugitive.
If the superior court makes a finding of probable cause that a tribal fugitive subject to a filed tribal warrant has been charged with a crime by the filing certified tribe, the court must order the issuance of a state warrant of arrest for such tribal fugitive from justice under section 4 of this act, which shall expire six months after issuance, unless withdrawn earlier under subsection (4) of this section.
Any judicial proceedings involving a tribal fugitive subject to a tribal warrant filed under this section must occur in the county where the tribal fugitive is first detained.
A tribal warrant filed under this section must be withdrawn once the person who is the subject of the tribal warrant has submitted to the certified tribe's tribal court jurisdiction or been arrested.
Whenever any person within this state shall be charged on the oath of any credible person before any judge or magistrate of this state with the commission of any crime by any federally recognized tribe with territory located within the borders of the state of Washington and with having fled from justice, or with having been convicted of a crime by any federally recognized tribe with territory located in the state of Washington and having escaped from confinement, or having broken the terms of such person's bail, probation, or parole, or whenever complaint shall have been made before any judge or magistrate in this state setting forth on the affidavit of any credible person of a federally recognized tribe with territory within this state that a crime has been committed for which the tribe has criminal jurisdiction and that the accused has been charged by such tribe with the commission of the crime, and has fled from justice, or with having been convicted of a crime in that tribe's courts and having escaped from confinement, or having broken the terms of such person's bail, probation, or parole and is believed to be in this state, the judge or magistrate shall issue a warrant directed to any peace officer commanding such officer to apprehend the person named therein, wherever such person may be found in this state, and to bring such person before the same or any other judge, magistrate, or court who or which may be available in or convenient of access to the place where the arrest may be made, to answer the charge or complaint and affidavit, and a certified copy of the sworn charge or complaint and affidavit upon which the warrant is issued shall be attached to the warrant.
The following definitions are applicable in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires:
"Materially false statement" means any false statement oral or written, regardless of its admissibility under the rules of evidence, which could have affected the course or outcome of the proceeding;
"Oath" includes an affirmation and every other mode authorized by law of attesting to the truth of that which is stated; in this chapter, written statements shall be treated as if made under oath if:
The statement was made on or pursuant to instructions on an official form bearing notice, authorized by law, to the effect that false statements made therein are punishable;
The statement recites that it was made under oath, the declarant was aware of such recitation at the time he or she made the statement, intended that the statement should be represented as a sworn statement, and the statement was in fact so represented by its delivery or utterance with the signed jurat of an officer authorized to administer oaths appended thereto; or
It is a statement, declaration, verification, or certificate, made within or outside the state of Washington, which is declared to be true under penalty of perjury as provided in chapter 5.50 RCW or under the code of any federally recognized tribe.
An oath is "required or authorized by law" when the use of the oath is specifically provided for by statute or regulatory provision or when the oath is administered by a person authorized by state, a federally recognized tribe, or federal law to administer oaths;
"Official proceeding" means a proceeding heard before any state, federally recognized tribal, or federal legislative, judicial, administrative, or other government agency or official authorized to hear evidence under oath, including any tribal court, referee, hearing examiner, commissioner, notary, or other person taking testimony or depositions;
"Juror" means any person who is a member of any jury, including a grand jury, impaneled by any court of this state, or tribal court, or by any public servant authorized by law to impanel a jury; the term juror also includes any person who has been drawn or summoned to attend as a prospective juror;
"Testimony" includes oral or written statements, documents, or any other material that may be offered by a witness in an official proceeding;
"Tribal" means a federally recognized Indian tribe as defined by 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1301;
"Tribal court" means an Indian court as defined by 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1301;
"Tribal law" means the Constitution, codes, ordinance, regulations, case law, and customary law of a federally recognized tribe.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Noncertified tribe" means a federally recognized tribe located within the borders of the state of Washington that is requesting that a tribal fugitive be surrendered to the duly authorized agent of the tribe, but has not received approval to exercise jurisdiction under the tribal law and order act of 2010, section 234, codified at 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1302, and which has agreed by treaty or practice not to shelter or conceal offenders against the laws of the state of Washington but to deliver them up to state authorities for prosecution.
"Certified tribe" means a federally recognized tribe located within the borders of the state of Washington that (a) may impose a term of imprisonment of greater than one year, or a fine greater than $5,000, or both, pursuant to the tribal law and order act of 2010, section 234, codified at 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1302; and (b) has agreed not to shelter or conceal offenders against the laws of the state of Washington but to deliver them up to state authorities for prosecution.
"Peace officer" has the same meaning as in RCW 10.93.020(4).
"Place of detention" means a jail as defined in RCW 70.48.020, a correctional facility as defined in RCW 72.09.015, and any similar adult facility contracted by a city or county.
"Tribal court judge" includes every judicial officer authorized alone or with others, to hold or preside over the criminal court of a certified tribe or noncertified tribe.
"Tribal fugitive" or "fugitive" means any person who is subject to tribal court criminal jurisdiction, committed an alleged crime under the tribal code, and thereafter fled tribal jurisdiction, including by escaping or evading confinement, breaking the terms of their probation, bail, or parole, or absenting themselves from the jurisdiction of the tribal court.
"Tribal police officer" has the same meaning as in RCW 10.92.010.
A peace officer as defined in RCW 43.101.010, limited authority Washington peace officer as defined in RCW 10.93.020, specially commissioned Washington peace officer as defined in RCW 10.93.020, local or state corrections officer as defined in RCW 43.101.010, jail as defined in RCW 70.48.020, or such officer's or jail facility's legal advisor may not be held criminally or civilly liable for making an arrest or not making an arrest under chapter 207, Laws of 2024 if the peace officer or the peace officer's legal advisor acted in good faith and without malice.
Chapter 207, Laws of 2024 is not intended to limit, abrogate, or modify existing immunities for prosecuting attorneys for good faith conduct consistent with statutory duties.
A peace officer may arrest a person subject to a tribal arrest warrant from a noncertified tribe when the warrant is presented by a tribal court representative or tribal law enforcement officer to the peace officer or a general authority Washington law enforcement agency as defined in RCW 10.93.020 or entered in the national crime information center or Washington information center. The arrested person must be brought to an appropriate place of detention and then to the nearest available superior court judge the next judicial day. The superior court judge shall issue an order continuing custody upon presentation of the tribal arrest warrant.
The judge shall inform the person appearing under subsection (1) of this section of the name of the noncertified tribe that has subjected the person to an arrest warrant, the basis of the arrest warrant, the right to assistance of counsel, and the right to require a judicial hearing before transfer of custody to the applicable noncertified tribe.
After being informed by the judge of the effect of a waiver, the arrested person may waive the right to require a judicial hearing and consent to return to the applicable noncertified tribe by executing a written waiver. If the waiver is executed, the judge shall issue an order to transfer custody under subsection (5) of this section or, with consent of the applicable noncertified tribe, authorize the voluntary return of the person to that tribe.
If a hearing is not waived under subsection (3) of this section, the court shall hold a hearing within 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, after the initial appearance. The arrested person and the prosecuting attorney's office shall be informed of the time and place of the hearing. The court shall release the person upon conditions that will reasonably assure availability of the person for the hearing or direct a peace officer to maintain custody of the person until the time of the hearing. Following the hearing, the judge shall issue an order to transfer custody under subsection (5) of this section unless the arrested person established by clear and convincing evidence that the arrested person is not the person identified in the warrant. If the court does not order transfer of custody, the judge shall order the arrested person to be released.
A judicial order to transfer custody issued under subsection (4) of this section shall be directed to a peace officer to take or retain custody of the person until a representative of the applicable noncertified tribe is available to take custody. If the noncertified tribe has not taken custody within three days, excluding weekends and holidays, the court may order the release of the person upon conditions that will assure the person's availability on a specified date within seven days. If the noncertified tribe has not taken custody within the time specified in the order, the person shall be released. Thereafter, an order to transfer custody may be entered only if a new arrest warrant is issued. The court may authorize the voluntary return of the person with the consent of the applicable noncertified tribe.
2.
The arrested person must be brought to an appropriate place of detention and then to the nearest available superior court judge the next judicial day. The superior court judge shall issue an order continuing custody upon presentation of the tribal arrest warrant.
The judge shall inform the person appearing under subsection (1) of this section of the name of the certified tribe that has subjected the person to an arrest warrant, the basis of the arrest warrant, the right to assistance of counsel, and the right to require a judicial hearing before transfer of custody to the applicable certified tribe.
After being informed by the judge of the effect of a waiver, the arrested person may waive the right to require a judicial hearing and consent to return to the applicable certified tribe by executing a written waiver. If the waiver is executed, the judge shall issue an order to transfer custody under subsection (6) of this section or, with consent of the applicable certified tribe, authorize the voluntary return of the person to that tribe.
If a hearing is not waived under subsection (4) of this section, the court shall hold a hearing within 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, after the initial appearance. The arrested person and the prosecuting attorney's office shall be informed of the time and place of the hearing. The court shall release the person upon conditions that will reasonably assure availability of the person for the hearing or direct a peace officer to maintain custody of the person until the time of the hearing. Following the hearing, the judge shall issue an order to transfer custody under subsection (6) of this section unless the arrested person established by clear and convincing evidence that the arrested person is not the person identified in the warrant. If the court does not order transfer of custody, the judge shall order the arrested person to be released.
A judicial order to transfer custody issued under this subsection shall be directed to a peace officer to take or retain custody of the person until a representative of the applicable certified tribe is available to take custody. If the certified tribe has not taken custody within three days, excluding weekends and holidays, the court may order the release of the person upon conditions that will assure the person's availability on a specified date within seven days. If the certified tribe has not taken custody within the time specified in the order, the person shall be released. Thereafter, an order to transfer custody may be entered only if a new arrest warrant is issued. The court may authorize the voluntary return of the person with the consent of the applicable certified tribe.