Washington Bill Aims to Reduce Penalties for Failure to Register as Sex Offender

Legislation would downgrade repeat offenses from felony to misdemeanor, raising concerns about public safety

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A bill in the Washington State Legislature would modify sex offender registration laws by lowering the criminal penalties for Failure to Register. The legislation would reduce repeat offenses from a class B to a class C felony, decrease the seriousness level, and remove repeat violations from being considered 'sex offenses' under sentencing laws. Supporters argue the crime is largely administrative and should be handled through community custody rather than incarceration, but opponents warn it will weaken accountability for sex offenders and put public safety at risk.

Why it matters

Sex offender registration is seen as a critical tool for law enforcement to monitor known offenders and protect communities. Weakening the consequences for repeatedly failing to register raises concerns that it could embolden some offenders to avoid supervision and accountability, potentially putting the public at greater risk.

The details

House Bill 2403 is currently sitting in the House Rules Committee in Washington state. The legislation would reduce the penalty for repeat Failure to Register offenses from a class B felony (up to 10 years in prison) to a class C felony (up to 5 years). It would also remove repeat violations from being considered 'sex offenses' under sentencing laws. Supporters argue the crime is largely administrative and should be handled through community custody rather than incarceration, but opponents like former sheriff Rep. Brian Burnett say it will minimize accountability and put public safety at risk.

  • The Washington State Legislature is currently considering House Bill 2403.

The players

House Bill 2403

Legislation in the Washington State Legislature that would modify sex offender registration laws by lowering the criminal penalties for Failure to Register.

Rep. Brian Burnett

A Republican state representative from Chelan, Washington who is the former sheriff of Chelan County and opposes the bill, arguing it will weaken accountability for sex offenders and put public safety at risk.

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What they’re saying

“What they're wanting to do is they're wanting to minimize that charge and that conviction. They failed to register. They failed to comply with the simple things. It's not rocket science. It may be inconvenient, but it's not hard. There are people there that help walk you through this process, but they want to minimize that and bring that down into a misdemeanor.”

— Rep. Brian Burnett, Former Chelan County Sheriff (The Center Square)

“Failure to register as a sex offender is not a paperwork mistake. It is a deliberate choice to avoid supervision and accountability. As a sheriff, I dealt with this issue firsthand. Registration is one of the most important tools law enforcement has for protecting communities and monitoring known offenders. Weakening consequences for repeated violations is the wrong direction.”

— Rep. Brian Burnett, Former Chelan County Sheriff (News Release)

What’s next

The bill is currently sitting in the House Rules Committee in Washington state and could be pulled to the House floor for a vote at any time.

The takeaway

This legislation highlights the ongoing debate over balancing offenders' rights with public safety concerns. Opponents argue that weakening penalties for repeatedly failing to register as a sex offender could embolden some offenders to avoid supervision and put communities at greater risk, while supporters say the crime is largely administrative and should be handled through community custody rather than incarceration.