Defense Brief Motion Bank

← All bills

WA HB 1139 2025-2026 house

Promoting public safety and deterring unlawful firearm possession by increasing criminal penalties for unlawful possession of a firearm.

First chamber Not law yet bank: none

Not law yet. Pending legislation.

Reps. Low, Leavitt, Eslick, Davis

Bill summary

Official digest is not on this card.

Now vs if chaptered

Now: UPF penalties are the current RCW 9.41.040 schedule. If chaptered: higher penalties for the same possession conduct. Confirm chaptering and effective date before advising.

Defender utility

Washington defenders: UPF degree/sentencing remains the current RCW 9.41.040 ladder until this chapters. If it chapters, the issue is which subsection and which prior the State uses to climb the ladder — demand the live statute on the offense date. Penalty-enhancement vehicle, not a new possession theory. Not a current charge.

Who this is for. WA PDs on unlawful-possession calendars — pending penalty increase, not present law; not a California charge.

HB-1139 Washington unlawful-possession UPF penalty-enhancement 9.41.040 not-chaptered