Washington House unanimously passes bill for stricter monitoring of sex offenders
Because trusting the system to monitor violent predators clearly hasn’t worked.
Washington lawmakers are advancing House Bill 1457, a bipartisan effort led by Rep. Dan Griffey (R-Allyn), aiming to mandate electronic monitoring of sexually violent predators granted conditional release. The bill recently passed the House with a unanimous vote of 96-0 and is now under consideration in the Senate's Law & Justice Committee.
If enacted, HB 1457 will tighten oversight on the state’s most dangerous sex offenders, ensuring that they remain under close supervision and do not pose an ongoing threat to communities.
Why this bill is necessary
Washington has faced numerous failures in tracking high-risk sex offenders, leading to repeat offenses and public safety concerns. Current law allows too much discretion in monitoring released offenders, often leaving communities vulnerable.
A growing number of sexually violent predators are being granted conditional release. Without proper tracking, it is only a matter of time before another preventable tragedy occurs.
Many past offenders have violated their release conditions. Weak oversight means they often go undetected for too long.
Victims and their families live in fear knowing that violent predators are being placed into communities with little supervision.
HB 1457 reinforces the state’s commitment to prioritizing public safety and victim protection over the convenience of convicted predators.
What HB 1457 does
HB 1457 enhances oversight of sex offenders granted release from secure facilities by:
Mandatory Electronic Monitoring: Requires real-time GPS tracking for sexually violent predators on conditional release, including programmable exclusion zones and tamper alerts.
Residence Restrictions: Imposes a minimum 500-foot restriction from schools and childcare facilities for these individuals.
Enhanced Supervision: Obliges service providers responsible for monitoring released offenders to submit regular compliance reports, ensuring adherence to release conditions.
Rather than loosening restrictions on sexually violent predators, this bill adds more safeguards to protect the public from repeat offenders.
Who benefits from this bill?
Victims and communities, who will be better protected from repeat offenders.
Law enforcement, who will have stronger tools to track and monitor high-risk individuals.
Residents in vulnerable areas, who will no longer be subjected to unregulated offender placements.
Who doesn’t benefit?
Sex offenders who would prefer not to be tracked.
Advocacy groups pushing for softer sentences and fewer restrictions.
Bureaucrats who would rather push responsibility onto underfunded social programs.
This isn’t about punishing offenders—it’s about protecting communities and making sure the justice system does its job.
What’s next?
With the House’s unanimous approval, HB 1457 now awaits further deliberation in the Senate's Law & Justice Committee. If enacted, the bill will strengthen oversight mechanisms for sexually violent predators on conditional release, reinforcing Washington's commitment to public safety.
Instead of allowing high-risk offenders to fall through the cracks, this bill ensures tracking and accountability measures are in place before release.
What can you do?
Contact your legislator. Tell them yes to HB 1457 and yes to stronger monitoring of released offenders.
Demand accountability in Washington’s legal system. Public safety should always come before offender convenience.
Washington lawmakers are taking steps to ensure sex offenders don’t disappear after release.