Lawmakers and state leaders gather with Gov. Bob Ferguson at the Capitol to mark the signing of HB 1052, a new law that improves hate crime accountability across Washington. (Credit: Gov. Ferguson’s Office)
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law HB 1052 on Monday—it’s a bill aimed at improving accountability in hate crime cases. The law, championed by King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion, will help address confusion in current hate crime statutes and ensure that offenders are held accountable for their actions.
State Rep. Cindy Ryu and state Sen. Manka Dhingra led the charge in sponsoring the bill, which addresses an issue in the current law that has made it difficult for prosecutors to charge certain hate crimes.
State Rep. Cindy Ryu (left) and King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion at the Capitol Building, celebrating the signing of HB 1052, a new law to strengthen hate crime accountability in Washington. (Photo provided by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office)
“When there is evidence to show that people were victimized by a hate crime—in whole or in part because of a defendant’s bias—those perpetrators must be held accountable. Prosecutors need this legal fix to ensure that happens,” Manion said.
At the heart of the issue was the confusion caused by the existing language in RCW 9A.36.080, which defines a hate crime as one committed “because of” a victim’s identity. Jurors have struggled to understand whether a defendant’s bias needs to be the sole motive behind the crime or just one factor. This uncertainty has led to “not guilty” verdicts in cases where bias was one of several motives.
The new law, which will go into effect in late July, will add the phrase “in whole or in part” in front of “because of.” This change will make it clearer that hate crimes can be charged even if bias is just one factor behind the offense. Other states, including California, have similar language in their hate crime laws.
Manion has been a vocal advocate for reforming Washington’s hate crime laws. In 2023, she supported another key piece of legislation, ESB 5623, which made changes to how hate crimes are treated in the courts. Signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in April 2023, ESB 5623 reclassified hate crimes as crimes against persons and allowed for community or therapeutic treatment in addition to jail time. It also expanded the definition of hate crimes to include assaults that do not result in physical injury.
Since 2018, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has handled 355 hate crime cases.