Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

2020 Legislative Agenda

*Denotes previously requested

* HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES RESTRICTION (Joint Request with Governor) - SB 6077 / HB 2240

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  • Limits magazine capacity in Washington state to 10 rounds. Also requires the safe and secure storage of magazines grandfathered in by being possessed before the effective date of this legislation.

* ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN (Joint Request with Governor) - SB 6076 / HB 2241

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  • Prohibits the sale, manufacture, transfer, transport, and import of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines in Washington State. Also requires safe and secure storage for assault weapons grandfathered in.

AMMUNITION BACKGROUND CHECKS – HB 2519

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  • Requires background checks for all ammunition sales after the U.S. Department of Justice authorizes dealers to use the national instant criminal background check system, known as NICS, to initiate a check for a transfer of ammunition. Prohibits violent felons and other individuals who cannot lawfully obtain firearms from purchasing or possessing ammunition, and makes it illegal for firearms dealers to knowingly sell ammunition to them. Also requires ammunition sellers to obtain a state firearms license.

* REPEALING THE DEATH PENALTY - SB 5339 / HB 1488

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  • Eliminates the death penalty as a possible sentence for aggravated first-degree murder, and replaces it with life in prison without the possibility of parole.

DOMESTIC WORKER BILL OF RIGHTS (Joint Request with Governor) – SB 6247 / HB 2511

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  • Provides domestic workers with protections afforded to other workers, including minimum wage standards and overtime pay, adequate meal and rest breaks and more. Also protects domestic workers against retaliation, sexual harassment and discrimination.

PROHIBITING YOUTH SOLITARY CONFINEMENT – SB 6112 / HB 2277

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  • Prohibits the use of solitary confinement as a punitive practice for juveniles, limiting the use of isolation to emergency situations with strict time and placement procedures. Establishes a process for the creation of model policies that institutions can use as guidance for when the use of isolation, room confinement, or less restrictive alternatives are appropriate.

* COOLING OFF PERIOD - SB 5033 / HB 1067

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  • Establishes a one-year lobbying prohibition or “cooling off period” for elected officials, agency heads, and senior-level staff after leaving their state job. Applies only to lobbying for pay. 

* DEPENDENCY CASELOAD FORECAST – SB 5942 / HB 2083

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  • Adds dependency and termination caseloads to the biannual budget caseload forecast. This will address the fact that the caseloads of Assistant Attorneys General who handle cases involving abused and neglected children are more than 50 percent above the maximum recommended by the American Bar Association.