CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5263
Chapter 325, Laws of 2021
67th Legislature
2021 Regular Session
LAW ENFORCEMENT—PERSONAL INJURY AND WRONGFUL DEATH CIVIL ACTIONS—
DEFENSES
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 2021
Passed by the Senate March 5, 2021 CERTIFICATE
Yeas 28 Nays 20
I, Brad Hendrickson, Secretary of
the Senate of the State of
DENNY HECK Washington, do hereby certify that
President of the Senate the attached is ENGROSSED
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5263 as
passed by the Senate and the House
of Representatives on the dates
Passed by the House April 8, 2021 hereon set forth.
Yeas 56 Nays 42
BRAD HENDRICKSON
LAURIE JINKINS
Secretary
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
Approved May 18, 2021 11:50 AM FILED
May 18, 2021
Secretary of State
JAY INSLEE State of Washington
Governor of the State of Washington
 ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5263
Passed Legislature - 2021 Regular Session
State of Washington 67th Legislature 2021 Regular Session
By Senate Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Frockt,
Pedersen, Das, Hasegawa, Hunt, Kuderer, Liias, Saldaña, Wellman, and
Wilson, C.)
READ FIRST TIME 02/05/21.
1 AN ACT Relating to defenses in personal injury and wrongful death
2 actions where the person injured or killed was committing a felony;
3 and amending RCW 4.24.420.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 Sec. 1. RCW 4.24.420 and 1987 c 212 s 901 are each amended to
6 read as follows:
7 ((It)) (1) Except in an action arising out of law enforcement
8 activities resulting in personal injury or death, it is a complete
9 defense to any action for damages for personal injury or wrongful
10 death that the person injured or killed was engaged in the commission
11 of a felony at the time of the occurrence causing the injury or death
12 and the felony was a proximate cause of the injury or death.
13 ((However, nothing))
14 (2) In an action arising out of law enforcement activities
15 resulting in personal injury or death, it is a complete defense to
16 the action that the finder of fact has determined beyond a reasonable
17 doubt that the person injured or killed was engaged in the commission
18 of a felony at the time of the occurrence causing the injury or
19 death, the commission of which was a proximate cause of the injury or
20 death.
p. 1 ESSB 5263.SL
1 (3) Nothing in this section shall affect a right of action under
2 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983.
Passed by the Senate March 5, 2021.
Passed by the House April 8, 2021.
Approved by the Governor May 18, 2021.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 18, 2021.
--- END ---
p. 2 ESSB 5263.SL


Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 4.24.420
Substitute Bill: 4.24.420
Engrossed Substitute: 4.24.420
Bill as Passed Legislature: 4.24.420
Session Law: 4.24.420
Bill: 4.24.420