H-0772.3          _______________________________________________

 

                                  HOUSE BILL 1901

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Appelwick, Padden, Tate, Ludwig, R. Meyers, Riley, Forner, Inslee, Paris, H. Myers, Vance, Broback, D. Sommers, Holland, Rasmussen, Brough, Dorn, Wang, Winsley, Wynne, McLean, Wood, Moyer and Rayburn.

 

Read first time February 14, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.Amending the juvenile justice act.


     AN ACT Relating to juvenile justice; and creating a new section.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.      A juvenile issues task force is created to review the operation of the 1977 Juvenile Justice Act, the Family Reconciliation Act, the at-risk youth legislation, and to study issues pertinent to juveniles.  The task force is charged with issuing a report and making recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 1991.

     The task force shall consist of the following members:

     (1) Three co-chairs, one from the state senate appointed by the president of the senate; one from the state house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and one appointed by the governor from among the members of the task force named in subsection (3) of this section.

     (2) Eight legislators in addition to the two legislative cochairs selected under subsection (1) of this section, two each from the majority and minority caucuses of the senate and two each from the majority and minority caucuses of the house of representatives.

     (3) The governor shall appoint the following members of the task force:

     (a) Three superior court judges;

     (b) Two prosecuting attorneys;

     (c) One juvenile public defender;

     (d) The secretary of social and health services or the secretary's designee;

     (e) Two juvenile court administrators;

     (f) One police chief or county sheriff;

     (g) One child psychologist;

     (h) One director of a youth organization;

     (i) One person from the Washington council on crime and delinquency;

     (j) One person from a parents' organization;

     (k) One person from a crisis residential center;

     (l) One juvenile court caseworker;

     (m) One representative of the executive branch;

     (n) One member of the mental health treatment community; and

     (o) One member from the substance abuse treatment community.

     The department of social and health services shall fund the task force in an amount sufficient to meet its mission.  The task force shall be staffed, to the extent possible, by staff available from the membership of the task force.

     The governor shall ensure that the task force membership represents the diversity of the state including ethnic and cultural minorities and ensure a balance among community, treatment professionals, law enforcement, advocates, and other interests.