ESHJR 4220 -
By Committee on Judiciary
NOT ADOPTED 03/04/2010
Beginning on page 1, after line 2, strike all material through
"act." on page 2, line 1, and insert the following:
"THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the
secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state
for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to
Article I, section 20 of the Constitution of the state of Washington to
read as follows:
Article I, section 20. All persons charged with crime shall be
bailable by sufficient sureties, except ((for capital offenses)) when
a person is charged with an offense involving the intentional death of
another, the intentional infliction of great bodily harm on another, a
choate sex offense for which the maximum sentence is the possibility of
life in prison, or an offense that may result in a mandatory life
sentence without the possibility of release upon conviction, or an
attempt to accomplish these offenses when the proof is evident, or the
presumption great, subject to such standards of release on bail as
shall be determined by the legislature.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause
notice of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four
times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal
newspaper in the state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this act shall be known as the
Lakewood law enforcement memorial act."
EFFECT: Outlines crimes for which bail may be denied, including crimes that involve the intentional death of another, the intentional infliction of great bodily harm on another, a choate sex offense that may result in a maximum sentence of life in prison, or an offense that may result in a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of release, or an attempt to accomplish these offenses. Provides that the legislature sets the standards for release for courts to follow in making decisions on whether to grant bail for these types of offenses.