Washington SB 5027: Concerning extreme risk protection orders.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to establishing a loan repayment program for 1
public defense attorneys and prosecutors; and adding new sections to 2
chapter 28B.77 RCW.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.77 5
RCW to read as follows:6
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 7
specific purpose, a law school loan repayment program for public 8
defenders and prosecutors is established.9
(2) To qualify for the program, the applicant must be an attorney 10
licensed in Washington state and practicing full time in public 11
defense or as a prosecutor in Washington state. Full time for a 12
public defense attorney is defined as the equivalent of at least 80 13
percent of a public defender caseload standard endorsed by the 14
Washington state bar association. The office may exercise discretion 15
in appropriate circumstances to allow participants who reduce their 16
working hours below this amount to remain in the program and make 17
adjustments to the participants' service obligation as long as they 18
remain engaged in public defense or prosecution.19
(3) Participants in the program must make a commitment to 20
maintain employment or contract status for at least three years in 21
S-0957.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5027
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development (originally
sponsored by Senators Torres, Dhingra, Dozier, Frame, Gildon, Harris,
Hasegawa, Holy, King, Krishnadasan, Liias, Nobles, Riccelli, Saldaña,
Salomon, Slatter, Trudeau, and Warnick)
READ FIRST TIME 01/31/25.
p. 1 SSB 5027

one or more qualifying positions providing full-time work as a public 1
defender or prosecuting attorney. The office may extend the time for 2
fulfillment of the three-year commitment period for good cause; 3
however, the office may only waive the requirement if family or 4
medical circumstances prevent the participant's continuing employment 5
as a public defender or prosecutor. The office shall require the 6
participant to immediately inform the office of a change in the 7
participant's qualifying employment and may require verification at 8
reasonable intervals.9
(4) Participants in the program who are awarded loan repayments 10
must receive payment for the purpose of repaying educational loans 11
secured while attending law school to become an attorney licensed in 12
Washington state and practicing full time in public defense or as a 13
prosecutor in the state of Washington. The repayment assistance a 14
participant may receive must be at least $20,000 per year, for three 15
years, with the ability to extend for an additional three years if 16
program funding allows. Repayment may not exceed a total of $120,000 17
per participant and may not exceed the participant's loan debt. Loan 18
repayment assistance must be provided on a quarterly basis payable 19
after the participant has completed the participant's service 20
obligation for each quarter.21
(a) Participants must agree to meet the required service 22
obligation.23
(b) Repayment is limited to eligible educational and living 24
expenses as determined by the office and includes principal and 25
interest.26
(c) Loans from both government and private sources may be repaid 27
by the program. Participants must agree to allow the office access to 28
loan records and to acquire information from lenders necessary to 29
verify eligibility and to determine payments. Loans may not be 30
renegotiated with lenders to accelerate repayment.31
(d) Repayment of loans established pursuant to the law school 32
loan repayment program for public defenders and prosecutors must 33
begin no later than 90 days after the individual has become a 34
participant. Payments must be made quarterly, or more frequently if 35
deemed appropriate by the office, to the participant until the loan 36
is repaid or the participant becomes ineligible due to change in 37
employment or contract status after the required service obligation 38
when eligibility discontinues, whichever comes first.39
p. 2 SSB 5027

(e) Should the participant's employment or contract status change 1
and make them ineligible, payments against the loans of the 2
participants cease to be effective on the date that the participant 3
discontinues service.4
(f) Except for circumstances beyond their control, participants 5
who serve less than the required service obligation are obligated to 6
repay to the program an amount equal to the unsatisfied portion of 7
the service obligation, or the total amount paid by the program on 8
their behalf, whichever is less. This amount is due and payable 9
immediately. Participants who are unable to pay the full amount due 10
must enter into a payment arrangement with the office, including an 11
arrangement for payment of interest. The maximum period for repayment 12
is 10 years. The office shall determine the applicability of this 13
subsection. The