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HB1331 • 2026

Controlled substance death

Increasing public safety by elevating the penalty for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance resulting in death.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representative Low, Representative Schmidt, Representative Couture, Representative Valdez, Representative Barnard
Last action
2026-01-12
Official status
H Community Safe
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Controlled substance death

Controlled substance death

What This Bill Does

  • Controlled substance death

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-12 House

    By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

Official Summary Text

Controlled substance death

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
AN ACT Relating to increasing public safety by elevating the 1
penalty for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance resulting in 2
the death of another to manslaughter in the first degree; amending 3
RCW 9A.32.060; and repealing RCW 69.50.415. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 9A.32.060 and 2011 c 336 s 357 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
(1) A person is guilty of manslaughter in the first degree when:8
(a) He or she recklessly causes the death of another person; 9
((or))10
(b) He or she intentionally and unlawfully kills an unborn quick 11
child by inflicting any injury upon the mother of such child; or12
(c) He or she unlawfully delivers a controlled substance in 13
violation of RCW 69.50.401(2) (a), (b), or (c) which controlled 14
substance is subsequently used by the person to whom it was 15
delivered, resulting in the death of the user. 16
(2) Manslaughter in the first degree is a class A felony.17
H-0531.1
HOUSE BILL 1331
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Low, Schmidt, Couture, Caldier, and Barnard
Read first time 01/16/25. Referred to Committee on Community Safety.
p. 1 HB 1331
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. RCW 69.50.415 (Controlled substances 1
homicide— Penalty) and 2003 c 53 s 343, 1996 c 205 s 8, & 1987 c 458 s 2
2 are each repealed.3
--- END ---
p. 2 HB 1331