Committee hears bill to replace 'alien' with 'noncitizen' in state law
House Bill 2632 would substitute the term 'noncitizen' for 'alien' across state code, except where federal law or funding requires the federal term; proponents called it a dignity and clarity measure, opponents warned of possible conflicts with federal definitions.
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Members heard House Bill 2632, which directs that, except where federal law or funding mandates the word 'alien,' Washington statutes should use 'noncitizen' when describing people who are not U.S. citizens or nationals. Greg Vogel, committee staff, said the change is limited to state and local statutes enacted after July 1, 2026 and does not alter substantive legal standards that rely on federal definitions.
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