Civil Survival organizes system-impacted people, and advocates for policy reform to restore opportunity to communities harmed by the criminal legal system. Our organization envisions a world without incarceration, where people are not limited by their past and are valued for their humanity. Civil Survival’s legislative priorities are representative of our mission and values.
Reentry Legal Aid Funding
Washington State eliminated nearly $10 million in reentry civil legal aid funding during the 2025-2027 biennium, including the complete loss of State v. Blake civil legal aid funding, devastating capacity as demand reaches unprecedented levels. More than 212,000 Blake cases, representing 65 percent of all cases, remain unvacated, leaving tens of thousands of Washingtonians unable to clear unconstitutional convictions and fully reenter their communities. A $1 million increased investment in reentry civil legal aid is a proven public safety solution, saving up to $7 for every $1 invested while allowing Washington to maintain minimum capacity and meet its constitutional obligation to remove unconstitutional barriers to successful reentry.
Eradicating poverty fees, alleviating the burdens of legal financial obligation (LFO) debt: HB 2102
For too many Washingtonians, LFOs function as a life sentence in debt, enforced differently depending on the court and zip code. This bill ends justice by geography by creating consistent, equitable pathways to relief and stopping enforcement of debt that will never be paid. When people are no longer chained to the legal system by unpayable debt, communities are safer and families can move forward.
No Violence, No Segregation act: HB 1137
No Violence, No Segregation Act, is a cost-neutral approach to reducing the over-reliance on administrative segregation (ad-seg) by addressing the Department of Corrections (DOC) prison-initiated disciplinary process. In 2023, there were 6,120 recorded instances of solitary confinement in DOC. To reduce the number of people experiencing ad-seg, this bill would: (1) change the evidentiary standard for DOC infractions from “some evidence” to “preponderance of evidence”; (2) narrow the types of infractions that warrant the use of administrative segregation; (3) Escalate reviews and approval of the use of ad-seg at the 15, 30 and 45 day mark, and notifying the Office of Corrections Ombuds for anything beyond 45 days; and (4) protect people’s education, housing, and job placement while they are in ad-seg.
Free The Vote Act: HB 1196
The right to vote affirms our humanity, our voice, and our identity as Americans. But Washington’s prisons strip more than 14,000 voters of their most fundamental right as citizens. Our current law allows our state to take your voting rights away for “infamous crimes,” which lawmakers have used to silence people with felony convictions. HB 1196 would officially define “infamous crimes” as crimes punishable by the death penalty (outlawed in WA, except in cases of treason), giving Washington the opportunity to join Maine, Vermont, Puerto Rico and D.C. in allowing people to vote while in prison.
Voting In-Custody: HB 1146
Each year, nearly 100,000 eligible voters cycle through jails in Washington. These individuals retain the fundamental right to participate in elections, yet many face significant barriers, including limited access to election information, insufficient notice of election dates, and misinformation about eligibility. As a result, eligible voters in custody are at risk of widespread disenfranchisement.
HB 1146 aims to improve access to voting for individuals incarcerated in jails by requiring county auditors, jails, and state hospitals to collaborate on voting plans that address voter registration, education, and ballot access. The bill also establishes accountability measures, including annual reporting and enforcement actions by the Attorney General for violations.
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