SB 5913 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Clarifying public defense caseload standards for local jurisdictions.

SB 5913 clarifies requirements for local jurisdictions (counties and cities) that provide public defense services. It amends Washington law to explicitly require local standards covering caseload limits, attorney qualifications, compensation, case types, and handling of costs like expert witnesses. The bill mandates that these standards must address specific operational elements, such as monitoring attorney performance and client complaint procedures. This directly affects public defense systems across Washington, ensuring consistent minimum requirements for how legal representation is structured and managed.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Dec 17, 2025 Last action Jan 12, 2026
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1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

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