HB 1178 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning sentencing enhancements.

HB 1178 modifies Washington's sentencing laws to impose stricter penalties for crimes committed to benefit criminal gangs. It expands the definition of "criminal street gang-related offense" to include any felony or misdemeanor committed for reasons like gaining gang membership, controlling criminal markets (e.g., drug trafficking), or retaliating against witnesses. This affects offenders convicted of such crimes, potentially leading to longer sentences under amended sentencing code sections. The bill amends specific laws (RCW 9.94A.030, 9.94A.533, etc.) to implement these sentencing enhancements.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Jan 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill modifies sentencing rules for firearms, deadly weapons, and impaired driving by allowing courts to order some enhancements to run concurrently rather than strictly consecutively. It also clarifies that certain mandatory minimum terms must be served in total confinement while permitting exceptions for multiple similar enhancements. Additionally, the bill adjusts the age threshold for transferring juvenile offenders to adult facilities from 25 to 18 and updates references to related statutes.

Scope change

The bill applies to sentencing for felony offenses involving firearms, deadly weapons, impaired driving, and sexual motivation, as well as to the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult custody.

REQUIREMENT

Changed sentencing rules to allow courts to order multiple firearm, deadly weapon, and impaired driving enhancements to run concurrently instead of always consecutively, except for mandatory minimum terms.

Removed the requirement that firearm and deadly weapon enhancements must run consecutively to other sentencing provisions, replacing it with a general mandate that they run consecutively to all other provisions.

Updated references to RCW sections regarding community custody release plans and risk assessments to reflect new numbering.

Removed the provision stating that sexual motivation enhancements must be served in total confinement, replacing it with a general mandate for total confinement.

TIMELINE

Adjusted the age threshold for transferring juvenile offenders to adult custody from 25 years old to 18 years old.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

lower

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Community Safety at 8:00 AM.

lower

Jan 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Community Safety at 1:30 PM.

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors