Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Passed House 9 D cosponsors

HB 1396 — Increasing transparency and accountability of the office of corrections ombuds.

Last action — By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 20, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

  • Passed House

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 9 sponsors

    1 primary, 8 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (9 D).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

156 added · 160 removed

Plain-language change summary

The changes in the bill HB 1396 include a shift from allowing the council to communicate concerns to the ombuds and the governor's office, to permitting the council to issue its own public report with recommendations for the ombuds regarding advocacy for incarcerated individuals. This means the council will have more direct influence and accountability in its role, which could lead to more actionable insights and improvements for the incarcerated population. Additionally, the bill emphasizes gathering feedback directly from incarcerated individuals, further enhancing their representation in the decision-making process. These adjustments matter because they aim to strengthen oversight and advocacy for the rights of those in the correctional system.

→
Previous
Latest
H-1341.1 SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1396 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By House Community Safety (originally sponsored by Representatives Farivar, Peterson, Davis, Parshley, Reed, Doglio, Pollet, Ormsby, and Hill) READ FIRST TIME 02/14/25.
H-0483.1 HOUSE BILL 1396 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Representatives Farivar, Peterson, Davis, Parshley, Reed, Doglio, Pollet, Ormsby, and Hill Read first time 01/20/25.
Referred to Committee on Community Safety.
1 SHB 1396 (1)(a) By December 1, 2025, and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the governor shall convene an ombuds advisory council with several purposes in support of the ombuds function.
1 HB 1396 (1)(a) By December 1, 2025, and subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the governor shall convene an ombuds advisory council with several purposes in support of the ombuds function.
(b)(i) The council may communicate with the ombuds, the governor's office, and members of the legislature regarding any concerns it has relating to the ombuds' advocacy on behalf of the incarcerated population as well as its priorities for larger investigations and reports.
(b)(i) The council may issue its own annual public report with recommendations for the ombuds regarding its policies relating to advocacy on behalf of the incarcerated population as well as its priorities for larger investigations and reports.
2 SHB 1396 (ix) A licensed health care provider, who preferably has knowledge and experience in behavioral health care.
2 HB 1396 (ix) A licensed health care provider, who preferably has knowledge and experience in behavioral health care.
(d) ((Provide)) Solicit feedback directly from incarcerated individuals, family members, representatives of incarcerated p.
(d) Provide incarcerated individuals, family members, representatives of incarcerated individuals, department employees, p.
3 SHB 1396 individuals, department employees, members of the advisory council established in section 2 of this act, and others about the ombuds performance and priorities, and share aggregated feedback with the council;
3 HB 1396 members of the advisory council established in section 2 of this act, and others the opportunity to comment on ombuds services;
(2)(a) The ombuds may initiate and attempt to resolve an investigation upon his or her own initiative, or upon receipt of a p.
(2)(a) The ombuds may initiate and attempt to resolve an investigation upon his or her own initiative, or upon receipt of a complaint from an ((inmate)) incarcerated individual, a family member, a representative of an ((inmate)) incarcerated individual, a p.
4 SHB 1396 complaint from an ((inmate)) incarcerated individual, a family member, a representative of an ((inmate)) incarcerated individual, a department employee, or others, regarding any of the following that may adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of ((inmates)) incarcerated individuals:
4 HB 1396 department employee, or others, regarding any of the following that may adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of ((inmates)) incarcerated individuals:
(i) The ombuds may not levy any fees for the submission or investigation of complaints.
5 SHB 1396 (i) The ombuds may not levy any fees for the submission or investigation of complaints.
5 HB 1396 (j) The ombuds must remain neutral and impartial and may not act as an advocate for the complainant or for the department.
(j) The ombuds must remain neutral and impartial and may not act as an advocate for the complainant or for the department.
6 SHB 1396
6 HB 1396
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

  1. By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

  2. Referred to Appropriations.

  3. Minority; without recommendation.

  4. Minority; do not pass.

  5. CS - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

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

  7. Public hearing in the House Committee on Community Safety at 4:00 PM.

  8. First reading, referred to Community Safety.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 8 co-sponsors · 142 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (8)

Not signed on (142)

142 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 142 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 1396?
HB 1396 is sponsored by Natasha Hill (Democrat), Timm Ormsby (Democrat), Gerry Pollet (Democrat), Beth Doglio (Democrat), Julia Reed (Democrat), Lisa Parshley (Democrat), Lauren Davis (Democrat), Strom Peterson (Democrat), and Darya Farivar (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 1396?
This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 20, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track HB 1396?
Track HB 1396 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 1396

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 1396

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →