WA HB1399

Establishes uniform eligibility requirements for sheriffs, police chiefs, and marshals across all Washington cities and counties, including U.S. citizenship, minimum age of 25, high school diploma, no felony convictions, no gross misdemeanor convictions involving moral turpitude, and at least two years of full-time law enforcement experience

Requires all law enforcement executives to obtain peace officer certification within 12 months of assuming office and maintain certification; loss of certification or decertification creates a vacancy in the position

Mandates background investigations for sheriff candidates be conducted by Washington State Patrol and verified by the Criminal Justice Training Commission at least 45 days before the election filing deadline, with results posted publicly

Restricts volunteers and specially commissioned officers who are not certified peace officers from enforcing criminal laws, carrying firearms, or using force; limits their roles to administrative support, community outreach, parking enforcement, and similar non-enforcement functions

Requires the Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop guidelines by June 30, 2026 establishing criteria for disqualifying applicants based on background investigations, and repeals outdated "police matrons" statutes