Washington Democrats want to give online predators a get-out-of-jail-free card

Because apparently, “trying” to exploit kids isn’t a big deal if you get caught first.

Washington Democrats are at it again—this time with Senate Bill 5312 (SB 5312), a bill that reduces penalties for convicted sex offenders caught in online sting operations.

Instead of keeping strong laws in place to deter predators and protect kids, lawmakers in Olympia are pushing to:

🚨 Reduce sex offender registration from lifetime to just five years.
🚨 Lower post-release supervision for convicted offenders to only three years.

Why? Because they think online predators deserve a second chance.

If this passes, Washington will be one of the most lenient states in the country when it comes to prosecuting online child predators.

What’s in SB 5312?

This bill directly weakens punishments for individuals caught in Net Nanny sting operations, where law enforcement poses as minors online to catch child predators before they can harm a real victim.

🔹 Current law: Individuals convicted in these stings face lifetime registration as a sex offender.
🔹 Under SB 5312: The requirement drops to just five years—making it easier for convicted offenders to disappear from the system.

🔹 Current law: Many of these offenders are placed on indeterminate sentencing with long post-release supervisionto monitor their behavior.
🔹 Under SB 5312: That supervision gets slashed to just three years.

So, instead of treating these convicted predators like the threats they are, Washington Democrats want to give them a fast track back into society.

The argument for SB 5312: “But they didn’t hurt a real kid”

Supporters of the bill—including some defense attorneys and criminal justice reform activists—argue that Net Nanny stings don’t involve real victims and that lifetime sex offender registration is too harsh for these cases.

They claim:

✅ People caught in online stings aren’t “real” sex offenders.
✅ Lifetime registration is too extreme for those who never made contact with a real child.
✅ The sex offender registry should focus on “high-risk” offenders.

But here’s the problem with that argument:

🚨 They were actively trying to exploit a child. They just got caught before they could.
🚨 Net Nanny stings PREVENT real-world abuse. Weakening these penalties puts kids at risk.
🚨 Reducing penalties makes it easier for sex offenders to reoffend.

Let’s be clear—this isn’t criminal justice reform. It’s a gift to convicted sex offenders.

Why law enforcement and victim advocates are pushing back

Not surprisingly, law enforcement and child protection groups are outraged.

👮 Police say that stings PREVENT actual child exploitation. By the time someone is caught in a Net Nanny operation, they’ve already taken steps toward abusing a child—the only reason they didn’t succeed is because cops got there first.

👨‍⚖️ Prosecutors argue that the bill weakens the deterrent effect. If predators know they’ll get a reduced sentence and a short registration period, there’s less reason to fear getting caught.

🛑 Victim advocacy groups warn this sets a dangerous precedent. If lawmakers start downgrading sex crimes because “no real victim” was involved, what’s next?

Why this bill is dangerous

SB 5312 isn’t just about "reforming” Net Nanny sting laws—it’s about lowering the consequences for attempted child predators.

Here’s what happens if this bill passes:

🚨 Fewer offenders will be on the sex offender registry. Five years isn’t enough to track reoffenders.

🚨 Less deterrence for online predators. They’ll know they won’t face serious punishment if they get caught.

🚨 This opens the door for even more sentencing rollbacks. If lawmakers start softening penalties for attempted crimes, what’s next? Lighter sentences for those caught with child pornography but who “never acted on it”?

Right now, Washington’s sex crime laws are among the strictest in the country—and for good reason. This bill would start chipping away at those protections.

What’s next?

If SB 5312 passes, expect:

🔺 Legal challenges from past offenders—asking for their registration period to be reduced retroactively.
🔺 More sex crime sentencing “reforms”—weakening punishments even further.
🔺 A less effective sex offender registry—where serious offenders fall through the cracks.

Democrats claim this bill is about fairness.

But fairness for who? Sex offenders?

What about fairness for parents, children, and law enforcement who work every day to keep our communities safe?

What can you do?

🚨 Call Your Legislators. Tell them NO to SB 5312 and NO to reducing sex offender penalties.

🚨 Demand Lawmakers Prioritize Public Safety. Instead of making life easier for criminals, they should focus on protecting kids.

🚨 Stay Informed. Subscribe to The Steelhead Alliance so you don’t wake up one day with even weaker sex crime laws.

Washington Democrats are reducing penalties for online predators.

Are you okay with that?