Washington statute
RCW 9A.49.020 — Unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9A.49: Lasers, Revised Code of Washington.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of RCW 9A.49.020
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) A person is guilty of unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree if he or she knowingly and maliciously discharges a laser, under circumstances not amounting to malicious mischief in the first degree:
(a) At a law enforcement officer or other employee of a law enforcement agency who is performing his or her official duties in uniform or exhibiting evidence of his or her authority, and in a manner that would support that officer's or employee's reasonable belief that he or she is targeted with a laser sighting device or system; or
(b) At a law enforcement officer or other employee of a law enforcement agency who is performing his or her official duties, causing an impairment of the safety or operation of a law enforcement vehicle or causing an interruption or impairment of service rendered to the public by negatively affecting the officer or employee; or
(c) At a pilot, causing an impairment of the safety or operation of an aircraft or causing an interruption or impairment of service rendered to the public by negatively affecting the pilot; or
(d) At a firefighter or other employee of a fire department, county fire marshal's office, county fire prevention bureau, or fire protection district who is performing his or her official duties, causing an impairment of the safety or operation of an emergency vehicle or causing an interruption or impairment of service rendered to the public by negatively affecting the firefighter or employee; or
(e) At a transit operator or driver of a public or private transit company while that person is performing his or her official duties, causing an impairment of the safety or operation of a transit vehicle or causing an interruption or impairment of service rendered to the public by negatively affecting the operator or driver; or
(f) At a school bus driver employed by a school district or private company while the driver is performing his or her official duties, causing an impairment of the safety or operation of a school bus or causing an interruption or impairment of service by negatively affecting the bus driver.
(2) Except as provided in RCW 9A.49.040, unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree is a class C felony.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
Unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree is a Class C Felony in Washington under RCW 9A.49.020.
Which Washington statute covers unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree?
Unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree is governed by RCW 9A.49.020 (Unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.