This bill amends RCW 2.08.063 (and 2024 c 112 s 1) to change the statutory listing of the number of superior court judges in specified counties. The amended text shows Lincoln 1; Skagit 5 (an increase from four); Walla Walla 2; Whitman 1; Yakima 9 (an increase from eight); Adams 1; and Whatcom 5. This is a modification of an existing law allocating superior court judgeships (a procedural/statutory change to judge counts), not the creation of a crime or a change in criminal penalties. The bill was filed by request of the Administrative Office of the Courts, referred to the Senate Committee on Law & Justice, prefiled 12/10/25, read first time 01/12/26, passed the Senate Feb. 16, 2026 (Yeas 48, Nays 1) and passed the House Mar. 5, 2026 (Yeas 95, Nays 0). The provided text does not include an effective date, funding or appropriation language, implementation details, or a gubernatorial approval date, so those aspects are unclear from the extracted material.

If enacted as shown, the state statute would increase the number of superior court judges listed for Skagit County from four to five and for Yakima County from eight to nine, while also listing judge counts for Lincoln (1), Walla Walla (2), Whitman (1), Adams (1), and Whatcom (5). The direct, practical effect would be more judicial positions in Skagit and Yakima, which likely means those courts will need to recruit and pay another judge and expand related staffing, courtroom space, and administrative support, affecting local court operations and budgets. Important implementation details are missing from the extracted text: there is no effective date, no funding or appropriation language, and no gubernatorial action shown, so it is unclear when the additional judgeships would start or who would pay for the added salaries and operational costs. The Administrative Office of the Courts requested the change and the measure passed both legislative chambers, but the timing, funding source, and specific implementation steps remain unspecified.