Washington Senate Bill SB5237

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/14/25

Caption

AN ACT Relating to leaving a child unattended in a vehicle;

Summary

SB 5237 amends Washington law governing the offense of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. It lowers the age threshold for the more serious offense: a person with care and custody of a child under 12 who leaves the child unattended in a parked automobile while entering a tavern or other premises where alcohol is dispensed for on-premises consumption commits a gross misdemeanor. The bill also creates a separate misdemeanor offense for knowingly leaving a child under 9 unattended by an adult in a parked automobile. In addition to the criminal-law changes, the bill includes an appropriation from the general fund to the Department of Health for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, intended to support public awareness of the act and the dangers of leaving young children unattended in vehicles. The measure is framed both as a penalty bill and as a public-safety education effort.

Impact

The bill would amend RCW provisions addressing child endangerment in parked vehicles by expanding and clarifying criminal liability for caregivers who leave young children alone in cars. It establishes a gross misdemeanor for leaving children under 12 unattended when entering alcohol-serving premises, and a misdemeanor for knowingly leaving children under 9 unattended in a parked automobile. It also appropriates state general fund money to the Department of Health for awareness activities, affecting both criminal enforcement and public health outreach.

Sentiment

The available bill text and context suggest a broadly protective, child-safety-oriented measure with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. The bill’s stated purpose is to promote awareness of the dangers of leaving young children unattended in vehicles, indicating a preventative and public-safety focus rather than a controversial policy expansion. Because there are no transcripts or vote records included, there is no documented opposition or support to characterize beyond the bill’s apparent safety rationale.

Contention

The main policy issue embedded in the bill is the scope of criminal liability for caregivers, particularly the age thresholds and the specific circumstance involving entry into taverns or other alcohol-dispensing premises. Potential points of contention would likely center on whether the bill appropriately distinguishes between accidental and knowing conduct, whether the age cutoffs are set correctly, and whether the alcohol-premises provision is too narrow or too broad. However, no committee testimony or voting history is provided here to show any specific lawmakers, stakeholders, or advocacy groups taking positions.