Stalled reform: Bill to toughen juvenile gun laws faces uncertain fate

A bill introduced three weeks ago that would overhaul how the legal system handles juveniles caught with firearms appears to have stalled.

House Bill 1536 is supposed to be heard by the House Early Learning & Human Services Committee. It’s an unusual move by the Democrat-led House of Representatives leadership, as most bills involving juvenile crime and sentencing typically go before the House Community Safety Committee.

The bill seeks to increase early intervention for minors who unlawfully possess guns. It has gained the backing of King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion, who argues that existing laws are dangerously lenient.

The Problem: Five Strikes Before Serious Intervention

Under the current law, a juvenile in Washington must be convicted five times for unlawfully carrying a firearm before being sent to a rehabilitation center. Manion believes this policy puts both the minors and the broader community at risk.

“Right now, it isn’t until the fifth conviction that a young person is offered meaningful service at juvenile rehabilitation. I think that is too long,” Manion said Thursday during an interview on KIRO’s John Curley Show.

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Manion, who has spent years prosecuting gun-related crimes, argues that the existing system gives young offenders far too many chances before meaningful intervention occurs.

“We all agree that carrying a firearm is dangerous, especially for juveniles. They are impulsive, they are highly susceptible to peer pressure, and they lack the best executive functioning. The first time a young person is caught carrying a gun, we should be stepping in,” she emphasized.

A Longstanding Loophole

Manion pointed out that this issue isn’t new. Past administrations, including those led by former King County Prosecutors Dan Satterberg and Norm Maleng, also attempted to change the law but were unsuccessful.

“This has been on the books for a very long time. Prosecutors have tried to change it multiple times, but we haven’t been able to get it through,” she noted.

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Supporters of the current law argue that its intention was to prevent juveniles from being funneled too quickly into the justice system, potentially increasing recidivism. However, Manion believes that waiting until the fifth offense is a dangerous misstep.

“It’s not my goal to lock up young people,” she said. “But often when juveniles are caught carrying guns, they are already in free fall. That’s the moment to intervene, to offer meaningful services, and to stop them from escalating their behavior.”

The Reality of Juvenile Gun Crime

Manion also dismissed claims that minors are often manipulated by older criminals to carry out gun-related crimes. While some believe gangs exploit these legal loopholes by having juveniles carry firearms, Manion said the majority of cases she sees involve teens carrying guns for personal reasons.

“More often than not, a young person gets their hands on a gun and carries it because it makes them feel safe, or it makes them feel cool, or because others around them are doing the same,” she said. “The difference between just carrying a gun and using it can be one impulsive decision.”

Currently, the King County Prosecutor’s Office has 10 pending cases where juveniles are being charged as adults for homicide or assault with a firearm. Every one of these individuals had previously been convicted of unlawful gun possession.

“If we had intervened the first time a young person was caught with a gun, could we have prevented greater harm? That’s the question we need to ask ourselves,” Manion said.

A Push for Change

House Bill 1536 proposes amending current laws to require earlier intervention when a minor is caught with a firearm. Instead of waiting for multiple offenses, the bill would push for evidence-based behavioral health programs as a first step. These programs would offer counseling, mentorship, and education to help juveniles understand the dangers of carrying firearms.

Manion remains hopeful that this time, change will come.

“We can do better,” she said. “It is not unimaginable to think about what we could achieve if we stepped in sooner, if we got these kids help before they made a life-altering mistake. Waiting until the fifth conviction is too late.”

A Race Against Time

Despite being introduced in late January, House Bill 1536 has yet to be scheduled for a hearing by the chair of the House Early Learning & Human Services Committee.

The committee has just one week left before the deadline requiring all bills to pass out of committee—or else, it will be considered technically dead for this session.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public politics for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here. 

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