HB2165 • 2026

Peace officer false ident.

Concerning false identification as a peace officer.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Representative Obras, Representative Farivar, Representative Ryu, Representative Parshley, Representative Kloba, Representative Ramel, Representative Simmons, Representative Peterson, Representative Berry, Representative Salahuddin, Representative Tharinger, Representative Rule, Representative Reed, Representative Leavitt, Representative Lekanoff, Representative Mena, Representative Scott, Representative Santos, Representative Cortes, Representative Zahn, Representative Callan, Representative Nance, Representative Street, Representative Wylie, Representative Duerr, Representative Thomas, Representative Taylor, Representative Stonier, Representative Gregerson, Representative Ormsby, Representative Berg, Representative Reeves, Representative Thai, Representative Macri, Representative Fosse, Representative Hill, Representative Davis, Representative Pollet, Representative Donaghy, Representative Bernbaum
Last action: 2026-02-11
Official status: H subst for
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.

Peace officer false ident.

What This Bill Does

Peace officer false ident.

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.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

2165-S.E AMS LAW S5529.1

0 • Law & Justice

ADOPTED

Plain English: 2165-S.E AMS LAW S5529.1 ESHB 2165 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Law & Justice ADOPTED 03/03/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.

2165-S.E AMS LAW S5529.1 ESHB 2165 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Law & Justice ADOPTED 03/03/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
Sec.
1.
A new section is added to chapter 9A.60 3 RCW to read as follows: 4 (1) A person is guilty of false identification as a peace officer 5 if: 6 (a) Under circumstances not amounting to criminal impersonation 7 in the first degree, the person claims to be a peace officer or 8 creates an impression that the person is a peace officer, and does an 9 act with intent to convey the impression that he or she is acting in 10 an official capacity, such as using a vehicle, wearing an article of 11 clothing, or possessing or displaying an item bearing an insignia of 12 a law enforcement agency; and 13 (b) A reasonable person would believe the person is a peace 14 officer.

2165-S AMH GRIF PATT 382

1521 • Griffey

ADOPTED

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2165-S AMH GRIF PATT 382 1 - Official Print By Representative Griffey EFFECT: Specifies that the possession of an item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency by a retired peace officer or a person who inherits the item for certain purposes does not constitute False Identification as a Peace Officer, subject to certain conditions.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2165-S AMH GRIF PATT 382 1 - Official Print By Representative Griffey EFFECT: Specifies that the possession of an item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency by a retired peace officer or a person who inherits the item for certain purposes does not constitute False Identification as a Peace Officer, subject to certain conditions.
2165-S AMH GRIF PATT 382 SHB 2165 - H AMD 1521 ADOPTED 02/11/2026 On page 2, line 15, after "(5)" insert "(a) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the possession of an item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency by any of the following persons, to the extent authorized by the agency's policies: (i) Any person who inherits or receives an item bearing the agency's insignia that originally belonged to a deceased person who was commissioned by the agency as a peace officer, where the person inherits or receives the item as part of a ceremony or to otherwise commemorate or honor the deceased person's service as a peace officer; or (ii) Any person who was commissioned by the agency as a peace officer and has kept an item bearing the agency's insignia after retirement from the agency.
(b) For the purposes of (a)(ii) of this subsection, a retired peace officer is presumed to be authorized by a law enforcement agency to keep an item bearing the agency's insignia if the agency's policies do not specifically prohibit the retired peace officer from keeping the item and the agency does not request that the item be returned.
(6)" Renumber the remaining subsections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

Bill History

2026-02-11 House
1st substitute bill substituted.

Official Summary Text

Peace officer false ident.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

AN ACT Relating to false identification as a peace officer; 1
adding a new section to chapter 9A.60 RCW; and prescribing penalties.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 9A.60 4
RCW to read as follows: 5
(1) A person is guilty of false identification as a peace officer 6
if the person: 7
(a)(i) Makes, provides to another person, or possesses a card, 8
document, badge, insignia, shoulder emblem, or other item, including 9
a vehicle, bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency that 10
identifies the person as a peace officer or a reserve law enforcement 11
officer; and 12
(ii) The person who makes, provides, or possesses the item 13
bearing the insignia knows that the person so identified by the item 14
is not commissioned as a peace officer or reserve law enforcement 15
officer as indicated on the item; 16
(b) Intentionally or knowingly misrepresents an object, including 17
a vehicle, as property belonging to a law enforcement agency. For 18
purposes of this subsection, intentionally or knowingly 19
misrepresenting an object as property belonging to a law enforcement 20
agency includes intentionally or knowingly displaying an item bearing 21
Z-0509.1
HOUSE BILL 2165
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Obras, Farivar, Ryu, Parshley, Kloba, Ramel,
Simmons, Peterson, Berry, Salahuddin, Tharinger, Rule, Reed, Leavitt,
Lekanoff, Mena, Scott, Santos, Cortes, Zahn, Callan, Nance, Street,
Wylie, Duerr, Thomas, Taylor, Stonier, Gregerson, Ormsby, Berg,
Reeves, Thai, Macri, Fosse, Hill, Davis, Pollet, Donaghy, and
Bernbaum; by request of Governor Ferguson
Prefiled 12/17/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Community Safety.
p. 1 HB 2165
an insignia of a law enforcement agency in a manner that would lead a 1
reasonable person to interpret the item as property belonging to a 2
law enforcement agency. 3
(2) False identification as a peace officer is a gross 4
misdemeanor. 5
(3) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:6
(a) The card, document, badge, insignia, shoulder emblem, or 7
other item bearing an insignia of a law enforcement agency clearly 8
identifies the person as an honorary peace officer or reserve law 9
enforcement officer, or as a member of a posse; or10
(b) The person identified as a peace officer or reserve law 11
enforcement officer by the item bearing the insignia was commissioned 12
in that capacity when the item was made. 13
(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the 14
depiction of law enforcement for matters of cultural, historical, 15
political, religious, educational, newsworthy, or public interest 16
including, but not limited to, use in works of art, commentary, 17
satire, and parody protected by the Washington state Constitution or 18
the United States Constitution. 19
(5) For purposes of this section, "reserve officer" has the same 20
meaning as provided in RCW 10.93.020. 21
(6) For purposes of this section, an item bearing an insignia of 22
a law enforcement agency includes an item that contains the word 23
"police," "sheriff," "constable," "marshal," "trooper," or the title 24
of an agency of the federal government employing federal peace 25
officers. 26
(7) For purposes of this section, "federal peace officer" means 27
any employee or agent of the United States government who has the 28
authority to carry firearms and make warrantless arrests and whose 29
duties involve the enforcement of the laws of the United States.30
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p. 2 HB 2165