HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 2151

BYHouse Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives H. Myers, Tate, Locke, Appelwick, Padden, Hargrove, Moyer, R. Meyers, Dellwo, D. Sommers, P. King, Belcher, Scott, Crane, Inslee and Wolfe)

Regarding disposition and sentencing of juvenile offenders.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (18)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Brough, Dellwo, Hargrove, Inslee, Locke, R. Meyers, Moyer, H. Myers, Patrick, Schmidt, Scott, D. Sommers, Tate and Wineberry.

House Staff:Pat Shelledy (786-7149)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 15, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Juvenile Disposition Guidelines Commission proposes juvenile disposition standards to the Legislature.  The commission must propose modifications to the standards by November 1 of each even numbered year.  Under the adult sentencing system, the Sentencing Guidelines Commission proposes modifications to the Legislature but the proposals do not take effect without legislative enactment. In contrast, under the juvenile system, the commission's proposals automatically take effect unless the Legislature returns the proposals to the commission for modification by February 15 during the following session. The commission must resubmit the proposals to the Legislature by March 1.  Those proposals automatically take effect unless the Legislature returns those to the commission for further modification by April 1.  The disposition standards are not codified.

The commission recommended the Legislature amend the minor/first offender provision to exclude the new crime of child molestation in the first degree from that category.

SUMMARY:

The Juvenile Disposition Standards Commission will re-evaluate the juvenile disposition standards and conduct a study to determine present and future juvenile rehabilitation facilities capacities. The commission will propose standards to the Legislature by November 1, l990.  The recommendations will not take effect automatically.  The Legislature will enact the disposition standards during the 1990 regular session.  The provisions regarding automatic enactment are stricken and the Legislature will review and enact sentencing modifications every year.

Child molestation in the first degree and manslaughter in the second degree are excluded from the minor/first offender category.

Fiscal Note:      Requested March 2, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jerry Wasson, Director, Juvenile Disposition Commission.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The commission does not oppose the operational changes and approves the exclusion of child molestation first degree from minor/first offender category.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.