HB 2156 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning the authority of investigators of the attorney general's office.

HB 2156 clarifies that investigators from Washington's Attorney General's office gain limited law enforcement powers - specifically, the authority to serve court-approved search warrants for business records - when they have concurrent criminal investigation authority under existing law. This applies only to business records and requires both judicial authorization and a business's specific request for physical service at a location. The bill explicitly prohibits these investigators from making arrests, carrying weapons, or exceeding their defined scope of authority. It directly affects Attorney General's office investigators handling criminal investigations under agreements with local agencies.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Dec 16, 2025 Signed Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Bill → Passed Legislature · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was finalized and certified for the 2026 Regular Session, adding a formal enrollment certificate. The substantive text was streamlined by removing detailed definitions and specific background check procedures, replacing them with a single reference to existing requirements in chapter 43.101 RCW. This change simplifies the bill by relying on current laws rather than restating them.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on designating specific AG investigators as limited authority peace officers, but the detailed scope of their authority and employment standards was condensed to reference existing statutes.

TECHNICAL

Added a formal certification of enrollment page with dates and vote counts, indicating the bill passed both the House and Senate.

DEFINITION

Removed a detailed definition of 'economic and financial crimes' and a list of excluded violations, simplifying the text.

REQUIREMENT

Condensed multiple specific requirements regarding training, background checks, and hiring standards into a single sentence referencing existing chapter 43.101 RCW.

Updated the requirement for investigators to read the Fourth Amendment to state they must attest to having read it.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2026 · House Feb 16, 2026

How they voted

31–19

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 51

Mar 5, 2026

D Democratic31

30 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican20

1 Yea 19 Nay

95% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 30, 2026

Signed into law

Governor signed.

executive

Mar 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

President signed.

upper

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Speaker signed.

lower

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 54; nays, 41; absent, 0; excused, 3.

lower

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 54; nays, 33; absent, 8; excused, 3.

lower

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

House concurred in Senate amendments.

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (31-19-1)

senate

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

LAW - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 8:00 AM.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 2:00 PM.

upper

Feb 16, 2026

Lower · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

CS - Majority; do pass.

lower

Jan 22, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

1 primary · 12 co-sponsors