HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5418

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                          Judiciary

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to criminal justice.

Brief Description:  Creating an interagency criminal justice work group.

Sponsor(s):  Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Thorsness, Rasmussen, Nelson and Talmadge).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Judiciary, April 5, 1991, DPA;

Appropriations, April 8, 1991, DPA(APP w/o JUD).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

JUDICIARY

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Ludwig, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Minority Member; Paris, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Broback; Forner; Hargrove; Inslee; Mielke; Riley; Scott; D. Sommers; Tate; Vance; and Wineberry.

Minority Report: Do not pass.  Signed by 3 members:  Representatives Belcher; R. Meyers; and H. Myers.

Staff:  Bill Perry (786-7123).

Background:  The interagency criminal justice work group was established by Executive Order 81-15 to provide a central forum for communication between law enforcement entities and to facilitate statewide coordination of criminal justice services.

Summary of Amended Bill:  The interagency criminal justice work group is statutorily created.  The group is required to, among other things:  (1) identify issues which are problems for state and local law enforcement agencies; (2) develop immediate and long-range plans for alleviating prison and jail overcrowding; and (3) study and make recommendations regarding police brutality and harassment.

The membership of the interagency criminal justice work group is delineated.

There is a general fund appropriation of $30,000 to the work group for the biennium ending June 30, 1993.  The work group ceases to exist on July 1, 1996.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The amendment includes requirements that the work group examine the problem of police brutality.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Appropriation:  Yes.

Effective Date of Amended Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The bill will assure continuance of a useful cooperative effort to address law enforcement issues.

Testimony Against:  The bill is an unnecessary limitation on executive branch flexibility.

Witnesses:  Mike Redman, Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (in favor); and Sid Sidorowicz, Governor's Office (opposed).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: Do pass as amended by Committee on Appropriations and without amendment by Committee on Judiciary.  Signed by 28 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Belcher; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Dorn; Ebersole; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Holland; Lisk; May; McLean; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Rust; H. Sommers; Valle; Vance; Wang; and Wineberry.

Staff:  Pat Shelledy (786-7149).

New Background Information:  Since the Sentencing Reform Act of 1981 was enacted, the Legislature has enacted several changes in the act's sentencing provisions.  The Legislature has not engaged in a comprehensive review of the act to determine whether the act's purposes are being achieved, whether those purposes should be revised, and whether intermediate punishments could be used as alternatives to total confinement.  Recently, the problem of police brutality in another state has come to the public's attention. 

Summary of Recommendation of Committee on Appropriations Compared to Recommendation of Committee on Judiciary:  The Judiciary Committee recommended passage of the substitute bill as amended by an amendment that provides that the work group will also conduct a study on police brutality.  The Appropriations Committee recommends a striking amendment removing all of the substitute bill's provisions, creating a task force on sentencing on adult offenders, requiring the Washington Institute of Public Policy to conduct the study on police brutality, and requiring the Criminal Justice Training Commission to develop and provide a training program for law enforcement to reduce the incidence of police harassment and brutality. 

Fiscal Note:  Available on substitute.

Appropriation:  Removed.

Effective Date of Bill as Amended by Committee on Appropriations:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  None.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  None.