WA HB1436

Authorizes counties and cities to impose a 0.10% local sales and use tax, credited against state tax, with revenue required to be used for hiring additional commissioned law enforcement officers

Allows jurisdictions that exceed the national average of officers per 1,000 population to use the tax revenue for broader criminal justice purposes, including domestic violence services and programs reducing homelessness and improving behavioral health (through December 31, 2026)

Requires the Criminal Justice Training Commission to provide at least 27 basic law enforcement training classes starting in fiscal year 2026, increasing to at least 28 classes annually beginning fiscal year 2027

Cites legislative findings that Washington ranks last in the nation for law enforcement officers per capita, while violent crime rates have reached 25-year highs and property crime ranks second highest nationally over the past five years