Committee hears fix to Washington State Patrol longevity bonus, staff say limited one‑time cost

House Bill 1605 would expand eligibility for a Washington State Patrol longevity bonus so some senior troopers whose anniversaries fell before July 1, 2024, receive the retention incentive.

The measure would allow commissioned Washington State Patrol (WSP) employees who completed 26 or more years of service before the bonus program’s July 1, 2024 effective date to receive a prorated, one‑time retention incentive equal to $3,750 per quarter they were continuously employed between the law’s effective date and their anniversary date; payments must be completed by June 30, 2025. The underlying longevity program established in 2024 provides eligible employees an annual $15,000 bonus paid in four quarterly payments and is scheduled to expire June 30, 2029.

Sandy Myers, staff to the committee, told members the WSP maintains 683 trooper positions and about 250 commissioned non‑field positions supported by the transportation budget and that, as of November 2024, the system’s vacancy rate was estimated at 23 percent. "The fiscal impact is based on 31 individuals who would qualify for the bonus," Myers said; staff estimated about $236,000 in one‑time costs in 2025, with roughly 13 individuals receiving one quarterly payment, five receiving two, and 13 receiving three.

Representative Jake Fife (27th District), sponsor on the floor, described the bill as a "characteristic cleanup bill" to correct language that had unintentionally excluded some eligible troopers. "We thought last year ... we had the language correct, but it wasn't until session was over that it was found that actually we didn't have the language correct," Fife said, adding many troopers stayed with the program in good faith despite payment delays.

Testimony in support came from union and association representatives. Spike Unruh, president of the Washington State Patrol Troopers Association, said the clarification will ensure eligible senior troopers receive the bonus and noted the 2024 law had initially left about one‑third of those eligible without payments due to differing interpretations between the Legislature and the Office of Financial Management. Will Stellmacher, a board member of the Washington State Patrol Lieutenants and Captains Association, said the bill "is gonna reward those who continue to be WSP members and encourage others to stay a little while longer" while the state fills vacancies.

No formal action or vote was recorded during the public hearing; the committee closed the hearing after testimony.

The bill text clarifies eligibility (continuous employment for at least one year), sets deadlines for the one‑time payments, and relies on existing collective bargaining and payroll processes for implementation. A fiscal note and related analyses were available to the committee staff and members.