The bill seeks to reform the Wrongly Convicted Persons Act by amending various sections of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and introducing new definitions and procedures for filing claims for compensation. It establishes key definitions such as "actually innocent," "significant new exculpatory information," and "wrongly convicted," and specifies that individuals convicted in superior court for felonies they did not commit may file claims for compensation. The bill allows authorized agents to file claims on behalf of deceased or incapacitated individuals and clarifies the requirements for filing, emphasizing the need for significant new exculpatory information.

Additionally, the bill revises the criteria for obtaining compensation, requiring claimants to demonstrate their actual innocence and that they did not engage in the conduct leading to their conviction. It introduces a compensation structure of $50,000 for each year of wrongful confinement and outlines the appeals process and attorney fees. The bill mandates that courts seal the records of those found wrongfully convicted and may refer them to reentry services. It also extends the time frame for bringing claims from three years to six years after receiving a pardon or other executive relief, establishes structured settlement agreements, and expands tuition waivers for wrongly convicted individuals and their children at state universities and colleges.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 4.100.030, 4.28.080, 4.100.050, 4.100.060, 4.100.070, 4.100.090, 28B.15.395, 4.100.020
Substitute bill: 4.100.030, 4.28.080, 4.100.050, 4.100.060, 4.100.070, 4.100.090, 28B.15.395, 4.100.020