HB 1133

Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS

Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Committee

HB 1133

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Monitoring sex offenders.

Sponsors: Representatives Strow, Ericks, Wallace, Simpson, Lantz, Williams, Bailey, Kelley, Green and Haler.

Brief Summary of Bill

Authorizes the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs to conduct a study on the use of radio frequency identification or other similar technology to electronically monitor sex offenders.

Hearing Date: 1/25/07

Staff: Alison Hellberg (786-7152).

Background:

In addition to other terms of their sentence, most sex offenders are sentenced to community custody under the supervision of the Department of Corrections (DOC). The DOC may impose electronic monitoring for certain sex offenders. The DOC must monitor offenders using the most appropriate technology given the individual circumstances of the offender. The term "electronic monitoring" refers to all electronic offender tracking systems. Such systems may provide passive or active offender tracking, and may employ radio frequency or global positioning systems (GPS) technology.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method that relies on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags. An RFID tag is an object that can be attached to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification using radio waves. The RFID tags can only be used over short distances. Current uses for RFID technology include passports, transport payments, product tracking, animal identification, and inventory systems. Human implants are beginning to be used on a limited basis.

Summary of Bill:

The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs shall conduct a study on using RFID or other similar technology to electronically monitor sex offenders and shall report its findings to the Legislature by December 31, 2007.

The study must include:

An evaluation of the current state of RFID technology, including the capabilities and limitations of subcutaneous RFID tags;
An identification of the ways in which current subcutaneous RFID technology can be used to electronically monitor sex offenders, including an evaluation of costs and benefits of methods currently being used to monitor sex offenders;
An evaluation of developing subcutaneous RFID technologies, such as linking subcutaneous RFID tags with GPS, and an estimate of the time frame in which the developing technologies will be available; and
An identification of the ways in which developing RFID technologies could be used in the future, including an evaluation of costs and benefits of using the technology compared to the costs and benefits of methods currently being used.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.