S-4097               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6366

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senators Pullen, Hansen, Kreidler, Halsan, Madsen, Smith, Newhouse, Nelson, Hayner, Talmadge, McCaslin, West and Conner

Read first time 1/19/88 and referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

AN ACT Relating to the creation of a law enforcement medal of honor; amending RCW 1.40.020, 1.40.030, and 1.40.040; and adding new sections to chapter 1.40 RCW.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 2, chapter 92, Laws of 1986 and RCW 1.40.020 are each amended to read as follows:

          There is created the state medal of merit committee for nominating candidates for the award of the state medal of merit and the state law enforcement medal of honor.  The committee membership consists of the governor, president of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, ((and)) the chief justice of the supreme court, and the attorney general, or their designees.  The secretary of state shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member, and shall serve as secretary to the committee.  The committee  shall meet annually to consider candidates for nomination.  The committee shall adopt rules establishing the qualifications for the state medal of merit and the state law enforcement medal of honor, the protocol governing the decoration, and the appurtenances necessary to the implementation of this chapter.

        Sec. 2.  Section 3, chapter 92, Laws of 1986 and  1.40.030 are each amended to read as follows:

          The governor may delegate the awarding of the state medal of merit and the state law enforcement medal of honor to the president of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, or the chief justice of the supreme court.

        Sec. 3.  Section 4, chapter 92, Laws of 1986 and RCW 1.40.040 are each amended to read as follows:

          The state medal of merit and the state law enforcement medal of honor may be awarded posthumously to be presented to such representative of the deceased as may be deemed appropriate by the governor or the designees specified in RCW 1.40.030.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 1.40 RCW to read as follows:

          There is established a decoration of the Washington state law enforcement medal of honor with accompanying ribbons and appurtenances for award by the governor, in the name of the state, to any law enforcement officer who has been seriously injured or killed while in the performance of duty, or who has been distinguished by exceptionally meritorious conduct, upon nomination of the governor's state medal of merit committee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 1.40 RCW to read as follows:

          The decoration of the state law enforcement medal of honor shall be of bronze and shall consist of the seal of the state of Washington, surrounded by a raised laurel wreath and suspended from a ring attached by a navy blue ribbon with a gold edge.  The reverse of the decoration within the raised laurel wreath shall be inscribed with the words "For exceptionally honorable and meritorious conduct in performing services as a law enforcement officer."