The Washington Hope Card program, initially launched Jan. 1, has now sent out 2,000 wallet-sized copies of protection orders for vulnerable adults and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and harassment.
The Hope Cards allow individuals with full civil protection orders to carry important details about their orders with them at all times, including information law enforcement needs to verify a protection order.
WA rolls out Hope Card program
On May 4, 2023, former Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1766 into law, which established the Hope Card program, and beginning Jan. 1, protected parties with full protection orders could submit a request for a Hope Card.
A Hope Card includes the name of the person restrained and their identifying information, names of the persons protected, the protection order case number and issuing court, and the protection order’s issuance and expiration dates.
The program allows vulnerable adults and survivors with civil protection orders against their abusers to have an easier alternative to carrying full court documents at all times.
“It’s really translating to a breaking of chains for people,” Hope Card Senior Court Program Analyst for the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts Lauren Pilnick said, according to The Seattle Times. “Being able to have one less thing regarding their victimization on their mind every time they leave the house is hard to quantify, but it’s huge for people.”
The Hope Card is free to apply for and improves law enforcement’s ability to verify a protection order by providing a simpler way to inform police, employers, schools, and landlords about the order.
A Hope Card can be used until a protection order expires, is dismissed, or modified, and is available to all individuals with the following full civil protection orders: Domestic Violence Protection Order, Sexual Assault Protection Order, Stalking Protection Order, Vulnerable Adult Protection Order, and an Anti-Harassment Protection Order.
Additionally, Hope Cards cannot be issued for temporary protection orders, and all Hope Cards expire upon the conclusion of each protection order. The Hope Card Program also noted that if the card has been altered or damaged, destroy the card and submit a request for a new one.
©2025 Cox Media Group
