eService Center - Administrative Office of the Courts

In the 2020 legislative session, the legislature established a new annual reporting requirement for judges who have issued a warrant for the use of a facial recognition service to engage in any surveillance, or an extension thereof, as described in RCW 43.386.080 that expired the preceding year, or who has denied approval of such a warrant during the year. This law became effective July 1, 2021. (ESSB 6280, Laws of 2020, ch. 257, § 8)

The report shall be provided to the Administrative Office of the Courts in January of each year and shall include: the fact that a warrant or extension was applied for; the fact that the warrant or extension was granted as applied for, was modified, or was denied; the period of surveillance authorized and the number and duration of any extensions of the warrant; the identity of the applying officer and agency making the application and person authorizing the application; and the nature of public spaces where surveillance was conducted. RCW 43.386.070 (3).

A report template is attached to this answer and can also be found on Inside Courts under Court Resources, Court Management, Forms.

The report should be sent to [email protected] where it will be acknowledged and logged in the Office of Legal Services and Appellate Court Support.