Firearm recovery rewards

AN ACT Relating to criminal justice and the recovery of firearms 1
used in the commission of a crime; amending RCW 82.14.310, 82.14.320, 2
and 82.14.330; and adding a new section to chapter 10.85 RCW.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 10.85 5
RCW to read as follows: 6
(1) The crime firearm reward program is established to encourage 7
persons to submit information to law enforcement to locate firearms 8
that have been used in the commission of a crime. Any person who 9
submits information to any peace officer, as defined in RCW 10
10.120.010, or to any agency with primary territorial jurisdiction, 11
as defined in RCW 10.93.020, or to an entity that then forwards such 12
information to a peace officer or such agency, that relates to the 13
location of a firearm that has been used in the commission of a 14
felony firearm offense is eligible to receive up to a $500 cash 15
reward if that firearm is recovered. If the felony firearm offense 16
related to the located firearm resulted in a criminal conviction, the 17
person that submitted information relating to the location of the 18
firearm is eligible to receive up to a $5,000 cash reward. A reward 19
may not be paid to any law enforcement officer, any person that has 20
an outstanding warrant, or to any federal, state, or local government 21
H-0160.1
HOUSE BILL 2002
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Couture, Nance, Griffey, Marshall, Connors, Volz,
Stuebe, Davis, Low, Rude, Dye, Keaton, Burnett, Penner, Manjarrez,
Schmick, Caldier, Fitzgibbon, Klicker, Mendoza, Eslick, and Leavitt
Read first time 02/19/25. Referred to Committee on Community Safety.
p. 1 HB 2002
or agency employee for information obtained by the individual in the 1
normal course of their employment. 2
(2) The cash rewards authorized by this section shall be in 3
accordance with RCW 10.85.050 and paid by the city or county 4
associated with the peace officer or agency with primary territorial 5
jurisdiction that recovered the firearm. Cities and counties may pay 6
the cash rewards authorized in this section from funds received from 7
the county criminal justice assistance account created in RCW 8
82.14.310 and the municipal criminal justice assistance account 9
created in RCW 82.14.320. 10
Sec. 2. RCW 82.14.310 and 2022 c 157 s 21 are each amended to 11
read as follows: 12
(1) The county criminal justice assistance account is created in 13
the state treasury. Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the state 14
treasurer must transfer into the county criminal justice assistance 15
account from the general fund the sum of $23,200,000 divided into 16
four equal deposits occurring on July 1, October 1, January 1, and 17
April 1. For each fiscal year thereafter, the state treasurer must 18
increase the total transfer by the fiscal growth factor, as defined 19
in RCW 43.135.025, forecast for that fiscal year by the office of 20
financial management in November of the preceding year.21
(2) The moneys deposited in the county criminal justice 22
assistance account for distribution under this section, less any 23
moneys appropriated for purposes under subsections (4) and (5) of 24
this section, must be distributed at such times as distributions are 25
made under RCW 82.44.150 and on the relative basis of each county's 26
funding factor as determined under this subsection.27
(a) A county's funding factor is the sum of: 28
(i) The population of the county, divided by 1,000, and 29
multiplied by two-tenths; 30
(ii) The crime rate of the county, multiplied by three-tenths; 31
and 32
(iii) The annual number of criminal cases filed in the county 33
superior court, for each 1,000 in population, multiplied by five-34
tenths. 35
(b) Under this section and RCW 82.14.320 and 82.14.330:36
(i) The population of the county or city is as last determined by 37
the office of financial management; 38
p. 2 HB 2002
(ii) The crime rate of the county or city is the annual 1
occurrence of specified criminal offenses, as calculated in the most 2
recent annual report on crime in Washington state as published by the 3
Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, for each 1,000 4
in population; 5
(iii) The annual number of criminal cases filed in the county 6
superior court must be determined by the most recent annual report of 7
the courts of Washington, as published by the administrative office 8
of the courts; 9
(iv) Distributions and eligibility for distributions in the 10
1989-1991 biennium must be based on 1988 figures for both the crime 11
rate as described under (b)(ii) of this subsection and the annual 12
number of criminal cases that are filed as described under (b)(iii) 13
of this subsection. Future distributions must be based on the most 14
recent figures for both the crime rate as described under (b)(ii) of 15
this subsection and the annual number of criminal cases that are 16
filed as described under (b)(iii) of this subsection.17
(3) Moneys distributed under this section must be expended 18
exclusively for criminal justice purposes. Except after May 13, 2021, 19
through December 31, 2023, these funds may not be used to replace or 20
supplant existing funding. Criminal justice purposes are defined as 21
activities that substantially assist the criminal justice system, 22
which may include circumstances where ancillary benefit to the civil 23
or juvenile justice system occurs, and which includes (a) domestic 24
violence services such as those provided by domestic violence 25
programs, community advocates, and legal advocates, as defined in RCW 26
70.123.020, and (b) ((during the 2001-2003 fiscal biennium, juvenile 27
dispositional hearings relating to petitions for at-risk youth, 28
truancy, and children in need of services )) payments made pursuant to 29
section 1 of this act . Existing funding for purposes of this 30
subsection is defined as calendar year 1989 actual operating 31
expenditures for criminal justice purposes. Calendar year 1989 actual 32
operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes exclude the 33
following: Expenditures for extraordinary events not likely to 34
reoccur, changes in contract provisions for criminal justice 35
services, beyond the control of the local jurisdiction receiving the 36
services, and major nonrecurring capital expenditures.37
(4) Not more than five percent of the funds deposited to the 38
county criminal justice assistance account may be available for 39
appropriations for enhancements to the state patrol crime laboratory 40
p. 3 HB 2002
system and the continuing costs related to these enhancements. Funds 1
appropriated from this account for such enhancements may not supplant 2
existing funds from the state general fund. 3
(5) Each fiscal biennium, the sum of $510,000, may be 4
appropriated for the Washington state patrol to provide investigative 5
assistance and report services to assist local law enforcement 6
agencies to prosecute criminals. 7
Sec. 3. RCW 82.14.320 and 2021 c 296 s 3 are each amended to 8
read as follows: 9
(1) The municipal criminal justice assistance account is created 10
in the state treasury. Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the state 11
treasurer must transfer into the municipal criminal justice 12
assistance account for distribution under this section from the 13
general fund the sum of $4,600,000 divided into four equal deposits 14
occurring on July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1. For each 15
fiscal year thereafter, the state treasurer must increase the total 16
transfer by the fiscal growth factor, as defined in RCW 43.135.025, 17
forecast for that fiscal year by the office of financial management 18
in November of the preceding year. 19
(2) No city may receive a distribution under this section from 20
the municipal criminal justice assistance account unless:21
(a) The city has a crime rate in excess of 125 percent of the 22
statewide average as calculated in the most recent annual report on 23
crime in Washington state as published by the Washington association 24
of sheriffs and police chiefs; 25
(b) The city has levied the tax authorized in RCW 82.14.030(2) at 26
the maximum rate or the tax authorized in RCW 82.46.010(3) at the 27
maximum rate; and 28
(c) The city has a per capita yield from the tax imposed under 29
RCW 82.14.030(1) at the maximum rate of less than 150 percent of the 30
statewide average per capita yield for all cities from such local 31
sales and use tax. 32
(3) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice 33
assistance account for distribution under this section, less any 34
moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (7) of this 35
section, must be distributed at such times as distributions are made 36
under RCW 82.44.150. The distributions must be made as follows:37
(a) Unless reduced by this subsection, 30 percent of the moneys 38
must be distributed ratably based on population as last determined by 39
p. 4 HB 2002
the office of financial management to those cities eligible under 1
subsection (2) of this section that have a crime rate determined 2
under subsection (2)(a) of this section which is greater than 175 3
percent of the statewide average crime rate. No city may receive more 4
than 50 percent of any moneys distributed under this subsection 5
(([(3)])) (3)(a) but, if a city distribution is reduced as a result 6
of exceeding the 50 percent limitation, the amount not distributed 7
must be distributed under (b) of this subsection. 8
(b) The remainder of the moneys, including any moneys not 9
distributed in subsection (2)(a) of this section, must be distributed 10
to all cities eligible under subsection (2) of this section ratably 11
based on population as last determined by the office of financial 12
management. 13
(4) No city may receive more than 30 percent of all moneys 14
distributed under subsection (3) of this section. 15
(5) Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the 16
distributions to any city that substantially decriminalizes or 17
repeals its criminal code after July 1, 1990, and that does not 18
reimburse the county for costs associated with criminal cases under 19
RCW 3.50.800 or 3.50.805(2), must be made to the county in which the 20
city is located. 21
(6) Moneys distributed under this section must be expended 22
exclusively for criminal justice purposes. Except after May 13, 2021, 23
through December 31, 2023, these funds may not be used to replace or 24
supplant existing funding. Criminal justice purposes are defined as 25
activities that substantially assist the criminal justice system, 26
which may include circumstances where ancillary benefit to the civil 27
justice system occurs, and which includes ((domestic)): (a) Domestic 28
violence services such as those provided by domestic violence 29
programs, community advocates, and legal advocates, as defined in RCW 30
70.123.020((, and)); (b) payments made pursuant to section 1 of this 31
act; and (c) publications and public educational efforts designed to 32
provide information and assistance to parents in dealing with runaway 33
or at-risk youth. Existing funding for purposes of this subsection is 34
defined as calendar year 1989 actual operating expenditures for 35
criminal justice purposes. Calendar year 1989 actual operating 36
expenditures for criminal justice purposes exclude the following: 37
Expenditures for extraordinary events not likely to reoccur, changes 38
in contract provisions for criminal justice services, beyond the 39
p. 5 HB 2002
control of the local jurisdiction receiving the services, and major 1
nonrecurring capital expenditures. 2
(7) Not more than five percent of the funds deposited to the 3
municipal criminal justice assistance account may be available for 4
appropriations for enhancements to the state patrol crime laboratory 5
system and the continuing costs related to these enhancements. Funds 6
appropriated from this account for such enhancements may not supplant 7
existing funds from the state general fund. 8
(8) During the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium, the amount that would 9
otherwise be transferred into the municipal criminal justice 10
assistance account from the general fund under subsection (1) of this 11
section must be reduced by 3.4 percent. 12
Sec. 4. RCW 82.14.330 and 2021 c 296 s 4 are each amended to 13
read as follows: 14
(1)(a) Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the state treasurer must 15
transfer into the municipal criminal justice assistance account for 16
distribution under this section from the general fund the sum of 17
$4,600,000 divided into four equal deposits occurring on July 1, 18
October 1, January 1, and April 1. For each fiscal year thereafter, 19
the state treasurer must increase the total transfer by the fiscal 20
growth factor, as defined in RCW 43.135.025, forecast for that fiscal 21
year by the office of financial management in November of the 22
preceding year. The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal 23
justice assistance account for distribution under this section, less 24
any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (4) of this 25
section, must be distributed to the cities of the state as follows:26
(i) 20 percent appropriated for distribution must be distributed 27
to cities with a three-year average violent crime rate for each 1,000 28
in population in excess of 150 percent of the statewide three-year 29
average violent crime rate for each 1,000 in population. The three-30
year average violent crime rate must be calculated using the violent 31
crime rates for each of the preceding three years from the annual 32
reports on crime in Washington state as published by the Washington 33
association of sheriffs and police chiefs. Moneys must be distributed 34
under this subsection (1)(a) ratably based on population as last 35
determined by the office of financial management, but no city may 36
receive more than one dollar per capita. Moneys remaining 37
undistributed under this subsection at the end of each calendar year 38
must be distributed to the criminal justice training commission to 39
p. 6 HB 2002
reimburse participating city law enforcement agencies with 10 or 1
fewer full-time commissioned patrol officers the cost of temporary 2
replacement of each officer who is enrolled in basic law enforcement 3
training, as provided in RCW 43.101.200. 4
(ii) 16 percent must be distributed to cities ratably based on 5
population as last determined by the office of financial management, 6
but no city may receive less than $1,000. 7
(b) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice 8
assistance account for distribution under this subsection (1) must be 9
distributed at such times as distributions are made under RCW 10
82.44.150. 11
(c) Moneys distributed under this subsection (1) must be expended 12
exclusively for criminal justice purposes. Except after May 13, 2021, 13
through December 31, 2023, these funds may not be used to replace or 14
supplant existing funding. Criminal justice purposes are defined as 15
activities that substantially assist the criminal justice system, 16
which may include circumstances where ancillary benefit to the civil 17
justice system occurs, and which includes domestic violence services 18
such as those provided by domestic violence programs, community 19
advocates, and legal advocates, as defined in RCW 70.123.020; and 20
payments made pursuant to section 1 of this act . Existing funding for 21
purposes of this subsection is defined as calendar year 1989 actual 22
operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes. Calendar year 23
1989 actual operating expenditures for criminal justice purposes 24
exclude the following: Expenditures for extraordinary events not 25
likely to reoccur, changes in contract provisions for criminal 26
justice services, beyond the control of the local jurisdiction 27
receiving the services, and major nonrecurring capital expenditures.28
(2)(a) In addition to the distributions under subsection (1) of 29
this section: 30
(i) 10 percent must be distributed on a per capita basis to 31
cities that contract with another governmental agency for the 32
majority of the city's law enforcement services. Cities that 33
subsequently qualify for this distribution must notify the department 34
of commerce by November 30th for the upcoming calendar year. The 35
department of commerce must provide a list of eligible cities to the 36
state treasurer by December 31st. The state treasurer must modify the 37
distribution of these funds in the following year. Cities have the 38
responsibility to notify the department of commerce of any changes 39
regarding these contractual relationships. Adjustments in the 40
p. 7 HB 2002
distribution formula to add or delete cities may be made only for the 1
upcoming calendar year; no adjustments may be made retroactively.2
(ii) The remaining 54 percent must be distributed to cities and 3
towns by the state treasurer on a per capita basis. These funds must 4
be used for: (A) Innovative law enforcement strategies; (B) programs 5
to help at-risk children or child abuse victim response programs; and 6
(C) programs designed to reduce the level of domestic violence or to 7
provide counseling for domestic violence victims. 8
(b) The moneys deposited in the municipal criminal justice 9
assistance account for distribution under this subsection (2), less 10
any moneys appropriated for purposes under subsection (4) of this 11
section, must be distributed at the times as distributions are made 12
under RCW 82.44.150. Moneys remaining undistributed under this 13
subsection at the end of each calendar year must be distributed to 14
the criminal justice training commission to reimburse participating 15
city law enforcement agencies with 10 or fewer full-time commissioned 16
patrol officers the cost of temporary replacement of each officer who 17
is enrolled in basic law enforcement training, as provided in RCW 18
43.101.200. 19
(c) If a city is found by the state auditor to have expended 20
funds received under this subsection (2) in a manner that does not 21
comply with the criteria under which the moneys were received, the 22
city is ineligible to receive future distributions under this 23
subsection (2) until the use of the moneys are justified to the 24
satisfaction of the director or are repaid to the state general fund.25
(3) Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, the 26
distributions to any city that substantially decriminalizes or 27
repeals its criminal code after July 1, 1990, and that does not 28
reimburse the county for costs associated with criminal cases under 29
RCW 3.50.800 or 3.50.805(2), must be made to the county in which the 30
city is located. 31
(4) Not more than five percent of the funds deposited to the 32
municipal criminal justice assistance account may be available for 33
appropriations for enhancements to the state patrol crime laboratory 34
system and the continuing costs related to these enhancements. Funds 35
appropriated from this account for such enhancements may not supplant 36
existing funds from the state general fund. 37
(5) During the 2011-2013 fiscal biennium, the amount that would 38
otherwise be transferred into the municipal criminal justice 39
p. 8 HB 2002
assistance account from the general fund under subsection (1) of this 1
section must be reduced by 3.4 percent. 2
--- END ---
p. 9 HB 2002