Washington on the Forefront of Fair, Safe Criminal Justice Reform Measures with Passage of HB 1169

Olympia, Wash. (May 15, 2023) — Justice Action Network (JAN) applauded the Washington State Legislature for its bipartisan passage of House Bill 1169 and Governor Jay Inslee for his signature approving a measure that eliminates mandatory fees within the state's criminal justice system, making the state’s Victim Penalty Assessment (VPA) discretionary for adults and prohibiting its imposition both on youth and on adult indigent defendants. The bill also ends all remaining juvenile justice fees imposed on kids in Washington State.

Sponsored by Representative Tara Simmons (D-Bremerton) and championed by a broad coalition of community organizations, the bill acknowledges that financial obligations disproportionately burden low-income individuals and contribute to a cycle of poverty and recidivism that is detrimental to those individuals and to the safety of Washington communities. At the same time, legal financial obligations like the VPA are an inefficient and ineffective means of supporting victim advocacy services. In fact, just five percent of levied legal financial obligations are actually collected in Washington. This critical reform ensures that individuals are not trapped in the justice system by simple debts they cannot afford and that Washingtonians can better reintegrate successfully into society regardless of their financial means. Importantly the law establishes a fund to ensure allocation of more sustainable resources for the victim advocacy services that had previously relied on the VPA for fiscal support.

"With this vote, lawmakers from both parties made clear that these mandatory fees represent an onerous, counterproductive burden and do nothing to keep communities safe,” said Noah Bein, State Policy Manager for JAN, “This kind of smart, evidence-based criminal justice reform transcends political divisions and sets a strong precedent for other states across the nation to follow. Major credit is due to the elected leaders who supported this forward-thinking legislation and to the broad coalition of community organizations that fought for it.” 

Justice Action Network is the nation’s largest bipartisan criminal justice reform organization working at both the state and federal levels to advance evidence-based policy. JAN looks forward to continuing to partner with lawmakers, community leaders, and stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of House Bill 1169 and to continue the pursuit of meaningful reforms that improve public safety.