H-4728.1          _______________________________________________

 

                            SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2491

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

 

By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives Padden, Paris, Silver and Morton)

 

Read first time 02/07/92.  Requiring HIV testing of certain juvenile offenders.


     AN ACT Relating to HIV testing of juvenile offenders; and amending RCW 13.40.070 and 70.24.340.

 

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

 

     Sec. 1.  RCW 13.40.070 and 1989 c 407 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) Complaints referred to the juvenile court alleging the commission of an offense shall be referred directly to the prosecutor.  The prosecutor, upon receipt of a complaint, shall screen the complaint to determine whether:

     (a) The alleged facts bring the case within the jurisdiction of the court; and

     (b) On a basis of available evidence there is probable cause to believe that the juvenile did commit the offense.

     (2) If the identical alleged acts constitute an offense under both the law of this state and an ordinance of any city or county of this state, state law shall govern the prosecutor's screening and charging decision for both filed and diverted cases.

     (3) If the requirements of subsection((s)) (1)(a) and (b) of this section are met, the prosecutor shall either file an information in juvenile court or divert the case, as set forth in subsections (5), (6), and (7) of this section.  If the prosecutor finds that the requirements of subsection (1)(a) and (b) of this section are not met, the prosecutor shall maintain a record, for one year, of such decision and the reasons therefor.  In lieu of filing an information or diverting an offense a prosecutor may file a motion to modify community supervision where such offense constitutes a violation of community supervision.

     (4) An information shall be a plain, concise, and definite written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged.  It shall be signed by the prosecuting attorney and conform to chapter 10.37 RCW.

     (5) Where a case is legally sufficient, the prosecutor shall file an information with the juvenile court if:

     (a) An alleged offender is accused of a class A felony, a class B felony, an attempt to commit a class B felony, assault in the third degree, rape in the third degree, or any other offense listed in RCW 13.40.020(1)(b) or (c); or

     (b) An alleged offender is accused of a felony and has a criminal history of at least one class A or class B felony, or two class C felonies, or at least two gross misdemeanors, or at least two misdemeanors and one additional misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor, or at least one class C felony and one misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor; or

     (c) An alleged offender has been referred by a diversion unit for prosecution or desires prosecution instead of diversion; or

     (d) An alleged offender has three or more diversions on the alleged offender's criminal history within eighteen months of the current alleged offense.

     (6) Where a case is legally sufficient the prosecutor shall divert the case if the alleged offense is a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor or violation and the alleged offense(s) in combination with the alleged offender's criminal history do not exceed two offenses or violations and do not include any felonies:  PROVIDED, That if the alleged offender is charged with a related offense that must or may be filed under subsections (5) and (7) of this section, a case under this subsection may also be filed.

     (7) Where a case is legally sufficient and falls into neither subsection (5) nor (6) of this section, it may be filed or diverted.  In deciding whether to file or divert an offense under this section the prosecutor shall be guided only by the length, seriousness, and recency of the alleged offender's criminal history and the circumstances surrounding the commission of the alleged offense.

     (8) If an alleged offender is accused of prostitution or patronizing a prostitute under chapter 9A.88 RCW and the offense may be diverted as provided in subsections (6) and (7) of this section, the diversion agreement must include referral of the juvenile to local health departments for HIV testing and counseling of the alleged offender as provided in RCW 70.24.340.

     (9) Whenever a juvenile is placed in custody or, where not placed in custody, referred to a diversionary interview, the parent or legal guardian of the juvenile shall be notified as soon as possible concerning the allegation made against the juvenile and the current status of the juvenile.

     (((9))) (10) The responsibilities of the prosecutor under subsections (1) through (((8))) (9) of this section may be performed by a juvenile court probation counselor for any complaint referred to the court alleging the commission of an offense which would not be a felony if committed by an adult, if the prosecutor has given sufficient written notice to the juvenile court that the prosecutor will not review such complaints.

 

     Sec. 2.  RCW 70.24.340 and 1988 c 206 s 703 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) Local health departments authorized under this chapter shall conduct or cause to be conducted pretest counseling, HIV testing, and posttest counseling of all persons convicted of, referred by prosecutors under RCW 13.40.070(8), or adjudged in juvenile court to have committed:

     (a) ((Convicted of)) A sexual offense under chapter 9A.44 RCW;

     (b) ((Convicted of)) Prostitution or offenses relating to prostitution under chapter 9A.88 RCW; or

     (c) ((Convicted of)) Drug offenses under chapter 69.50 RCW if the court determines at the time of conviction that the related drug offense is one associated with the use of hypodermic needles.

     (2) Such testing shall be conducted as soon as possible after referral, adjudication, or sentencing and shall be so requested by the prosecutor or ordered by the juvenile or sentencing judge.

     (3) This section applies only to offenses committed after March 23, 1988.

     (4) A law enforcement officer, fire fighter, health care provider, health care facility staff person, or other categories of employment determined by the board in rule to be at risk of substantial exposure to HIV, who has experienced a substantial exposure to another person's bodily fluids in the course of his or her employment, may request a state or local public health officer to order pretest counseling, HIV testing, and posttest counseling for the person whose bodily fluids he or she has been exposed to.  The person who is subject to the order shall be given written notice of the order promptly, personally, and confidentially, stating the grounds and provisions of the order, including the factual basis therefor.  If the person who is subject to the order refuses to comply, the state or local public health officer may petition the superior court for a hearing.  The standard of review for the order is whether substantial exposure occurred and whether that exposure presents a possible risk of transmission of the HIV virus as defined by the board by rule.  Upon conclusion of the hearing, the court shall issue the appropriate order.  The state or local public health officer shall perform counseling and testing under this subsection if he or she finds that the exposure was substantial and presents a possible risk as defined by the board of health by rule.