FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2785

C 44 L 20

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning the membership of the criminal justice training commission.

Sponsors: House Committee on Public Safety (originally sponsored by Representatives Lekanoff, Goodman, Klippert, Lovick and Peterson).

House Committee on Public Safety

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Background:

The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) establishes standards for and provides training to criminal justice professionals, including peace officers and local corrections officers. Among its many duties, the CJTC manages the Basic Law Enforcement Academy and provides advanced training to practitioners. The CJTC also certifies and, when necessary, decertifies peace officers.

The CJTC consists of 14 members. The Governor is required to appoint 11 members, including:

• two incumbent sheriffs;

• two incumbent chiefs of police;

• one officer with at least 10 years of experience and who is employed at or below the level of first line supervisor from a county law enforcement agency;

• one officer with at least 10 years of experience and who is employed at or below the level of first line supervisor from a municipal law enforcement agency;

• one person employed in a county correctional system;

• one person employed in the state correctional system;

• one incumbent county prosecuting attorney or municipal attorney;

• one elected official of a local government; and

• one private citizen.

The three remaining members are ex-officio members, meaning they serve as a result of another official position. This includes: the Attorney General; the special agent in charge of the Seattle Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Chief of the Washington State Patrol.

Members are appointed for terms of six years, and may be reappointed for additional terms. Members are generally not paid a salary or wage. However, for a member who does not occupy a position with the federal, state, or local government, he or she may be eligible to receive $50 of compensation for each day during which he or she attends an official meeting or performs statutorily prescribed duties, as approved by the CJTC Chair. Members may qualify to receive reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with state law.

Summary:

An additional two positions on the CJTC are created.

The Governor must appoint one additional private citizen. Of the private citizen appointees, one must be from Eastern Washington and the other from Western Washington. At least one private citizen appointee must be from a historically underrepresented community.

The Governor must also appoint a specified representative from a federally recognized tribe that has an active agreement with the CJTC for certifying tribal peace officers.

Votes on Final Passage: