SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 1732

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 19, 1992

Brief Description:  Allowing cities over 400,000 population to assign warrant servers to the police department.

SPONSORS:Representatives Appelwick, Winsley, Wineberry, Locke, Ferguson, Scott and Forner.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended. 

      Signed by Senators Nelson, Chairman; Thorsness, Vice Chairman; Erwin, M. Kreidler, Madsen, Newhouse, Rasmussen, and A. Smith.

Staff:  Ben Barnes (786‑7465)

Hearing Dates:April 4, 1991; April 5, 1991; February 19, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Until 1977, police departments served warrants issued by the municipal courts.  However, a law enacted in that year made the position of warrant server a function of the municipal court.

SUMMARY:

Warrant servers may be employees of either the municipal courts or the city police departments.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The title of "warrant server" is changed to "warrant officer."

Warrant officers are considered employees of the city police department.

In addition to the arrest authority granted by warrants, warrant officers are authorized to effect such arrests as may be authorized by ordinance.

TESTIMONY FOR:

The bill, as amended, is virtually identical to the Senate version which passed out of committee.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Representative Marlin Appelwick, prime sponsor; Mike Ryherd, Teamsters; Mike Doubleday, City of Seattle