Declaring civil immigration enforcement as unprofessional conduct of bail bond recovery agents.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Hasegawa and 5 co-sponsors

SB 5714 prohibits bail bond licensees from using their position to enforce civil immigration warrants or sharing a defendant’s immigration status outside the agency.

Effective date 7/27/2025.

Purpose

SB 5714 adds specific restrictions to the list of acts that constitute “unprofessional conduct” for licensed bail bond entities and individuals in Washington. The bill is intended to prevent bail bond recovery agents and related licensees from participating in civil immigration enforcement and from disclosing a defendant’s immigration status outside of their business.

Key provisions

Amends RCW 18.185.110 to add two new unprofessional conduct provisions for bail bond licensees (agencies, bail bond agents, and bail bond recovery agents):

Using the position of a bail bond recovery agent to enforce a civil immigration warrant (as defined in RCW 43.17.420) is unprofessional conduct.
Sharing a defendant’s immigration status with anyone outside the bail bond agency’s business is unprofessional conduct.

Retains existing disciplinary framework under the Department of Licensing (DOL). Upon a finding of unprofessional conduct, DOL may discipline licensees by revoking or suspending licenses, restricting practice, requiring remedial education or monitoring, imposing probationary conditions, issuing censure/reprimand, or levying fines up to $5,000 per violation.

No new appropriation. A fiscal note was prepared.

Who is affected

Bail bond agencies, licensed bail bond agents, and contract bail bond recovery agents regulated under chapter 18.185 RCW.

Individuals whose immigration status might otherwise be communicated by bail bond licensees (e.g., defendants and their families).

The statute does not change the definition exclusions already in law (for example, general or limited authority Washington peace officers are not “bail bond recovery agents” for licensing purposes).

Definitions and scope

“Civil immigration warrant” is defined in RCW 43.17.420 and includes administrative warrants (e.g., forms I-200/I-203) and civil immigration warrants entered in the NCIC database that authorize federal immigration officers to arrest for removal proceedings.

The bill does not eliminate the existing allowance for bail bond recovery agents to use pretext to locate or apprehend fugitives (existing subsection preserved).

Legislative history & process

Introduced: Feb 10, 2025.

Passed Senate (March 3, 2025) and House (April 10, 2025).

Delivered to Governor April 22, 2025; signed May 12, 2025.

Effective: 90 days after adjournment of session in which passed — July 27, 2025.

Committee action: House Consumer Protection & Business — majority “do pass”; public hearing March 18, 2025. Support testimony from OneAmerica; no formal opposition recorded.

Several floor amendments were proposed (e.g., changing “warrant” to “action,” removing confidentiality provision, adding a federal-preemption clause) but were not adopted.

Potential impact

Limits participation by bail bond recovery agents in civil immigration enforcement activities and restricts disclosure of immigration status by bail bond licensees outside their business.

Reinforces Washington policy direction toward restricting state-level assistance to federal immigration enforcement by certain private actors regulated by the state.

May change operational practices of bail bond agencies (training, policies on information sharing, and interactions with federal immigration authorities).

Bill