We need your help: Tell the House that if lawmakers decided that a law is unjust going forward, it must also apply to those who have already been impacted.
In 2023, the Legislature stopped the practice of automatically punishing people twice because of their involvement as children in the juvenile justice system. But this change only applied to new cases. As a result, up to 856 currently incarcerated people – who are disproportionately people of color – do not get the same benefit of the law and are left serving unjust long sentences.
This follow-up bill, HB 1274, will correct this generational inequity, while also recognizing public safety, the support needs of victims, and taking care to not overwhelm the capacity of the court system.
Sign in PRO on HB 1274 by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, and let the House know that a change in guidelines should apply with equal force to old sentences as to new ones. HB 1274 strikes a balance between righting the harms caused by the incomplete 2023 policy change, particularly to Indigenous communities, Black communities, and communities of color, while also supporting survivors of harm.
Sign in PRO on HB 1274 by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, and tell the House it is time to pass sentencing laws that promote public safety and lead with racial justice.
*Instructions on how to sign in pro:
ACLU of Washington
In 2023, the Legislature stopped the practice of automatically punishing people twice because of their involvement as children in the juvenile justice system. But this change only applied to new cases. As a result, up to 856 currently incarcerated people – who are disproportionately people of color – do not get the same benefit of the law and are left serving unjust long sentences.
This follow-up bill, HB 1274, will correct this generational inequity, while also recognizing public safety, the support needs of victims, and taking care to not overwhelm the capacity of the court system.
Sign in PRO on HB 1274 by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, and let the House know that a change in guidelines should apply with equal force to old sentences as to new ones. HB 1274 strikes a balance between righting the harms caused by the incomplete 2023 policy change, particularly to Indigenous communities, Black communities, and communities of color, while also supporting survivors of harm.
Sign in PRO on HB 1274 by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, and tell the House it is time to pass sentencing laws that promote public safety and lead with racial justice.
*Instructions on how to sign in pro:
- Click on this link
- Pick the position "Pro."
ACLU of Washington