5974-S2 AMH CONN MORI 383

2SSB 5974 - H AMD TO H AMD (H-3747.1/26) 2377

WITHDRAWN 03/05/2026

On page 26, after line 15 of the striking amendment, insert the following:

"Sec. 18. RCW 43.101.155 and 2021 c 323 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) ((If)) (a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, if the commission determines, upon investigation, that there is cause to believe that a peace officer's or corrections officer's certification should be denied, suspended, or revoked under RCW 43.101.105, the commission must prepare and serve upon the officer a statement of charges. Service on the officer must be by mail or by personal service on the officer unless the officer has consented to service in some other manner, including electronic notification. Notice of the charges must also be mailed to or otherwise served upon the officer's agency of separation and any current agency employer. The statement of charges must be accompanied by a notice that to receive a hearing on the denial or revocation, the officer must, within 60 days of the statement of charges, request a hearing before the hearings panel appointed under RCW 43.101.380. Failure of the officer to request a hearing within the 60-day period constitutes a default, whereupon the commission may enter an order under RCW 34.05.440.

(b) Prior to a statement of charges being served on a county sheriff to revoke the sheriff's certification, the superior court in the sheriff's county shall impanel a grand jury to determine whether a statement of charges is warranted. The procedures for impaneling the grand jury and conducting the grand jury proceedings must be substantially similar to the requirements for grand juries used to combat crime and corruption under chapter 10.27 RCW. The commission may not serve a statement of charges to revoke a county sheriff's certification under this section unless the grand jury issues a finding that such charges are warranted.

(2) If a hearing is requested, the officer is required to provide an email address that constitutes the officer's legal address for purposes of any subsequent communication from the commission. Unless otherwise agreed to by the mutual agreement of the parties or for good cause, within two weeks of receipt of the officer's request for a hearing, the commission shall set a date for the hearing, which must be held within 90 days thereafter. On the date the hearing is set, the commission shall transmit electronic and written notice of the hearing to the officer, and provide public notice on the commission website, specifying the time, date, and place of hearing."

Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

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