WA HB1909

Establishes a Court Unification Task Force to analyze Washington's court system and identify inefficiencies and inequities resulting from disparate local court rules, technology adoption, and funding levels across jurisdictions

Task force includes approximately 35 voting members representing the legislature, governor, attorney general, cities, counties, judicial branch (12 members), tribal courts, public defense, civil legal aid, bar association, prosecutors, law enforcement, and community stakeholders including formerly incarcerated individuals and civil litigants

Co-chaired by the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee chair and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, with authority to form issue-specific subcommittees on topics such as court IT, funding, small/rural courts, and facilities

Preliminary report due June 30, 2026; final report with specific solutions and a long-term strategic implementation plan due June 30, 2027 to the interbranch advisory committee and relevant legislative committees

Task force must hold first meeting by October 1, 2025, meet at least twice annually, and expires December 31, 2028