WA SB5285

Counties and cities may impose a 0.10% local sales and use tax to fund additional commissioned law enforcement officers, with the tax credited against state sales tax rather than added on top of it

Tax revenue must be used solely to hire additional commissioned officers unless the jurisdiction's officer-per-capita rate exceeds the national average, in which case funds may be used for broader criminal justice purposes including domestic violence services and homelessness reduction programs

Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission must provide at least 27 basic law enforcement training classes starting in fiscal year 2026, increasing to 28 classes in fiscal year 2027 and beyond

Legislative findings cite Washington ranking last in the nation for law enforcement officers per capita, with violent crime rates at 25-year highs and property crime ranked second highest nationally over the past five years