SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5812

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 26, 1993

Brief Description:  Allowing a school district to review a student's diversion, police contact, and arrest record under certain circumstances.

SPONSORS: Senators Hargrove and Winsley

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators A. Smith, Chairman; Quigley, Vice Chairman; Hargrove, McCaslin, Nelson, and Spanel.

Staff:  Jon Carlson (786‑7459)

Hearing Dates: February 26, 1993

BACKGROUND:

Under current law, school districts are allowed to participate in the exchange of information with law enforcement and juvenile court officials to the extent permitted under federal law.  A juvenile's legal record is available to schools because it is a public record, but schools generally have been excluded from obtaining information from law enforcement about a juvenile which is not part of the legal record. 

It is suggested that schools be authorized to obtain a greater amount of information from law enforcement in order to better facilitate the identification and intervention of youth with drug or alcohol problems, violent or gang-related behavior, truancy, and other problems associated with at-risk youth.

SUMMARY:

A student's diversion record, police contact record, and arrest record are available to a school district if: (1) the records are requested by the principal or school counselor, and (2) the parents or guardian of the student give prior written consent.

Use of the records is restricted to the principal, school counselor or those teachers identified by the principal as necessary for the provision of additional services to the student.  The records may only be used to identify those services offered through the school district that may be of benefit to the student.

Appropriation:  none 

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This legislation is necessary to ensure that law enforcement information concerning a student can be obtained by a school district in order to better serve the student's needs.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Senator Hargrove