WashingtonCourt of appeals bailiffs may assess threats to court workers
Court of appeals bailiffs may assess threats and use limited criminal history information, while the court must ensure they are qualified to do this work.
What it does
Court of appeals bailiffs may assess threats against judicial officers and staff members. The court must ensure bailiffs are qualified by training and experience if they do this work.
Bailiffs may use criminal history information, including records of arrests or allegations that did not lead to a conviction, only to investigate threats against court workers. They may not use or share it for another purpose.
When bailiffs find a threat to be founded, they must refer it to local law enforcement for further action. Police may tell bailiffs the outcome and any action they expect to take.
Argument forTrained bailiffs could assess threats against court workers and refer founded threats to local police, which may help courts respond to safety concerns.
Argument againstAccess to nonconviction records could expose sensitive information about people investigated but not convicted, even though bailiffs may use it only for threat investigations.
More detail
Court of appeals bailiffs may assess threats against court judicial officers and staff members. The provision covers threats against court of appeals judicial officers and staff members. The court must ensure bailiffs are qualified by training and experience if they perform these duties.
Bailiffs may receive criminal history information that includes records of arrests or allegations that did not lead to a conviction. This authority applies to court of appeals bailiffs investigating threats against court of appeals judicial officers or staff members. Bailiffs may use the information only to investigate a person making a threat against a court of appeals judicial officer or staff member. Using or sharing the information for another purpose is prohibited.
Bailiffs must refer founded threats to local law enforcement for further action. The referral rule applies to founded threats investigated under this provision. Local law enforcement may report the outcome and any anticipated action to the bailiffs.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 18Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 18Chapter 111, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 18Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 10Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 5Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 5President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#10). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 3Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 25Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 24CRJ - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 24Executive action taken in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 8:00 AM.
- Feb 12First reading, referred to Civil Rights & Judiciary.Minor
- Feb 10Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#4). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 10Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 4Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 23Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Jan 22LAW - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Jan 22Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 15Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to Law & Justice.Minor
- Jan 7Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
Public SafetyCriminal Justice