The Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on Feb. 18 voted 8-5 to report out a substitute for House Bill 1909, which establishes a court unification task force to conduct a comprehensive analysis of Washington’s court system.

The committee adopted three amendments to narrow and clarify the task force’s scope. Amendment LOER010 requires the task force to focus its review on inequities and inefficiencies arising from disparate local court rules, technology adoption and funding levels rather than a broader review of court structure and policies. Amendment LOER009 added two additional municipal representatives (for a total of three) to ensure representation of municipalities of different population sizes. Amendment LOER006 corrected a drafting typo.

Why it matters: Committee proponents said the task force will identify opportunities to bring more statewide uniformity in procedures and technology and to mitigate disparate outcomes across local courts. Vice Chair Farber urged support and described the bill as a way to bring voices together to discuss statewide solutions for courts that otherwise “drown under their own weight.”

Debate: Representative Veil said she would be a “soft no,” expressing a preference for voluntary-efficiency approaches rather than a task force with a unification‑sounding title; she said some local practices have defensible reasons. Representative Abel and others supported the amendments that expanded municipal representation and refined scope; Representative Jacobson and other no votes said they preferred prioritizing voluntary efficiencies and were concerned about the task force’s potential scope.

Vote and next steps: Vice Chair Farber moved the bill and its adopted amendments be incorporated into the substitute and reported out with a due-pass recommendation. The roll call was Taylor (aye); Farber (aye); Walsh (nay without recommendation); Abel (nay without recommendation); Burnett (nay without recommendation); Entenmann (aye); Goodman (aye); Graham (nay without recommendation); Jacobson (nay without recommendation); Peterson (aye); Salahuddin (aye); Tai (aye); Wallen (aye). Staff announced the tally as 8 ayes and 5 nays. The task force, as amended, will proceed for further legislative consideration.