Washington House Bill 1783 – An act relating to legal financial obligations.

Effective June 7, 2018, this bill makes several changes to the imposition and collection of fines and fees in Washington State.

You can read the full text of the legislation here. 

Key Provisions:

• Provides clear guidelines for judges in determining indigence and standards for imposing fines and fees.
• Eliminates Washington’s 12% interest on the non-restitution portions of fines and fees and allows individuals to ask for their existing interest to be waived.
• Prioritizes the allocation of fines and fees to restitution for victims
• Provides that a court may not impose fees on a defendant who cannot afford to pay.
• Ensures that defendants can only be sanctioned for nonpayment if they have the current ability to pay but refuse to do so. Homeless and/or mentally ill individuals cannot be sanctioned for nonpayment.
• Allows courts to (1) modify terms of payment, (2) reduce or waive debt not related to restitution, or (3) convert fines and fees to community service hours when considering sanctions for failure to pay.