Matt Sterling — Committee staff presented the bill briefing.
Matt Sterling — Committee staff provided the staff report on House Bill 2597.
Osman Salahuddin — Representative Gloria Mendoza was introduced by the chair, then testified in support of House Bill 2412, identifying herself as representing the 14th Legislative District and explaining that the bill would add a ninth Superior Court judge in Yakima County. In the same hearing segment, she was later addressed in follow-up discussion about courthouse capacity, and another witness thanked her for bringing the bill forward.
Jamila Taylor — Mendoza addressed Chair Taylor in her opening remarks.
Jamila Taylor — During the opening of testimony on House Bill 2412, the witness addressed Chair Taylor, Ranking Member Walsh, and committee members, thanked Representative Mendoza for introducing the bill, and referenced Representative Mendoza’s statement about the county share being included in the 2026 budget.
Jamila Taylor — Addressed as Chair in the sponsor’s remarks.
Jamila Taylor — The witness addresses Chair Taylor in the next panel introduction.
Jamila Taylor — Addressed as Chair Taylor.
Jamila Taylor — Jamila Taylor is repeatedly addressed as Chair/Madam Chair during a continuous portion of the meeting, including a staff-question context, with no substantive topic change across the mentions.
Jim Walsh — Mendoza addressed Ranking Member Walsh in her opening remarks.
Jim Walsh — The witness addressed Ranking Member Walsh in opening remarks.
Jim Walsh — Asked the witness about the conviction and how the proposal would address inequities in the case.
Jim Walsh — Acknowledged by the speaker as asking a follow-up question.
Jim Walsh — Walsh asks a question and then notes that the witness largely answered it.
Jim Walsh — Addressed as Ranking Member Walsh.
Jim Walsh — Asks whether the proposal yields to federal law and constitutional protections in case of conflict.
Jim Walsh — Asks whether the bill would be null if it caused the federal government to withhold funds from Washington.
Jim Walsh — Referenced in the discussion of whether federal agents acting in good faith could face personal liability.
Jim Walsh — Asked whether fear driving support for the proposal is connected to uncertainty and unintended consequences.
Jenny Graham — Asked about courthouse capacity and whether the facility can accommodate an additional judge and staff.
Jenny Graham — The chair thanked Representative Graham after her question.
Jenny Graham — Asked about shortages of defense attorneys and prosecutors and whether that is affecting the area.
Jenny Graham — Introduces a question to the defense attorney about evaluating testimony and the availability of information online.
Jenny Graham — Jenny Graham raised concerns that fear exists on both sides of the debate, arguing that sanctuary policies may leave victims of robbery, rape, assault, and murder without adequate protection. She questioned whether the issue involves balancing constitutional rights with deportation detainers and asked whether noncitizens should receive the same rights as U.S. citizens while the state addresses public safety and immigration enforcement.
Darya Farivar — The chair appears to call on Representative Farivar in the transition to testimony.
Darya Farivar — Took over to continue testimony and announced the next witnesses.
Darya Farivar — Announces the next panel and notes that Karen P.C. is not present.
Darya Farivar — Representative Farivar is called on to manage the next panel and then again as the reopened hearing proceeds, continuing the same procedural chairing sequence.
Darya Farivar — Called on to ask questions and then introduced the next witness panel.
Darya Farivar — Darya Farivar is repeatedly addressed in her role as Vice Chair/Representative while presiding over the hearing, calling on the next witnesses and introducing speakers including the mayor, council member, and other witnesses.
Judge Kevin Knott — Judge Kevin Knott, presiding judge for Yakima County Superior Court, testified in support of House Bill 2412. He explained that the court can physically accommodate an additional judge and noted that the county last added a judge in 1998. He described the court’s heavy workload, including more than 1,000 civil protection order cases resolved in the first 11 months of 2025 and about 10,000 filings that year, and said family law trials are delayed for eight to nine months. He emphasized the impact on families, including 65 cases that reached the eve of trial only to be turned away because the court lacked enough judges.
Jessica Humphreys — Jessica Humphreys, Yakima County Superior Court Administrator, testified in support of House Bill 2412 on behalf of the court. She explained that the bill would add a ninth judicial position to address a growing caseload and a backlog of more than 2,800 unresolved cases. She argued that the additional judge would improve court capacity, reduce delays, help cases move forward more efficiently, and support the court’s ability to maintain public trust and access to justice.
LaDawn Lind — The chair announced that LaDawn Lind would testify.
Yakima County Commissioner LaDawn Lydon Lent — Yakima County Commissioner LaDawn Lydon Lent continued and concluded testimony in support of House Bill 2412, explaining that Yakima County has operated with the same eight judges since 1998 despite rising caseloads, a clearance rate below 1.0, and a backlog of more than 2,800 cases older than two years. She urged authorization of a ninth Superior Court judge for Yakima County and noted that the county’s share of the request is already included in the 2026 budget.
Roger Goodman — Acknowledged as ranking member at the start of the testimony transition.
Roger Goodman — Likely referring to a public defender or witness named Jefferson as the person to answer the question.
Roger Goodman — Mentioned as the chair asking staff and the sponsor questions about immunity and federal law.
Roger Goodman — Roger Goodman is referenced repeatedly in a single ongoing exchange. The speaker responds to his question about training and participation, and later mentions continue the same discussion, though the transcript inconsistently addresses him as 'Ranking Member Walsh,' suggesting a transcription or attribution error rather than a new topic.
HB2500 — The committee opens House Bill 2500 and receives a staff presentation explaining that the bill addresses charitable beneficiary designations outside of wills and trusts. It requires holders of property to notify charitable beneficiaries after the owner’s death, allows a charitable organization to submit an affidavit to receive the property within 30 days, restricts holders from requesting personally identifiable information or requiring account opening as a condition of transfer, and prevents delays involving co-beneficiaries. Members then ask for clarification about the term "holder" and the bill’s scope, and the discussion concludes with the committee suspending consideration of House Bill 2500.
HB2500 — The committee reopened the hearing on House Bill 2500 and heard testimony in support of the bill. Supporters explained that it addresses barriers charities face in collecting donor gifts by prohibiting financial institutions from demanding unnecessary personal information from nonprofit employees or board members, creating a standardized affidavit process, requiring payment within 30 days after the affidavit is completed, and protecting donor intent while reducing administrative burden. A credit union representative said they support the goal of timely charitable bequests but had concerns about the drafting. Additional testimony urged passage of the bill as a nonpartisan measure, emphasizing that it would ensure donor intent is carried out promptly while balancing institutional requirements and privacy. The chair then closed the hearing on House Bill 2500.
Noah Baker — Staff to the committee presented the staff report on House Bill 2500.
HB2595 — House Bill 2595 is presented in staff report as a bill addressing collateral attacks on criminal judgments and sentences. The discussion explains that it extends the filing deadline for collateral attacks from one year to three years, includes exceptions tied to significant retroactive changes in the law, and authorizes the Office of Public Defense to provide direct representation in these matters. The sponsor commends the bill to the committee, and witnesses support it as urgently needed because most post-conviction filings are done without counsel, emphasizing that it does not create a new remedy or lower legal standards but simply expands the time to seek relief. One witness supports the bill while suggesting an even longer filing window and a look-back provision.
HB2595 — House Bill 2595 is discussed in a single hearing segment featuring contrasting testimony. One witness opposes the bill, arguing it is not a balanced approach to justice, sidelines crime victims and survivors, weakens accountability, and fails to properly balance rehabilitation with victims' rights. Another witness supports the bill, saying the one-year deadline is too short for many incarcerated people to file meritorious claims, that the bill strikes a fair balance, and that Washington should align with other states that allow more time to challenge convictions. The chair then concludes the hearing on the bill.
Strom Peterson — Representative Strom Peterson introduced himself as the 21st District prime sponsor of the bill and thanked Rogers for bringing it to him. Later speakers then expressed appreciation for Peterson’s work, thanking him for his efforts and acknowledging him as the sponsor who brought the bill forward.
Strom Peterson — The witness says a proposed amendment was given to him for approval and distribution.
Daryl Rogers — Daryl Rogers testified in support of House Bill 2595, identifying his affiliations with the Black Prisoner's Caucus, Concerned Lifers Organization, and a peer resource center at MCCTRU. In follow-up discussion, he explained that the first year of incarceration is especially disorienting because a person is abruptly separated from family, friends, and support systems. He then described his own rape conviction and said police documentation showed he was elsewhere at the time of the incident, but investigators missed that evidence. Rogers argued that if he had been able to get that information on the record within the one-year period, his case could have been overturned, and he emphasized that the time bar prevented him from doing so.
Mr. Windell Armstead — Cited as an example of someone allegedly barred from relief after discovering a previously undisclosed 10-year plea offer years later.
Mr. Bobby Culper — Cited as an example of a person denied relief after discovering untested DNA evidence nine years later.
Mr. Sergio Reyes Brooks — Cited as an example of a person allegedly barred after discovering planted evidence connected to the King County Brady list.
Mr. John Fletcher — Described as a driving force behind the bill and as someone who was time-barred from appealing after learning he could not appeal.