SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 2255

            AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, MARCH 2, 1992

Brief Description:  Providing for counseling of family members of homicide victims.

SPONSORS: Representatives Ballard, Locke, Wynne, Wineberry, Wang, Ludwig, Ferguson, Roland, Winsley, D. Sommers, Brough, Forner, Paris, H. Myers, May, Bowman, Mitchell and Tate

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

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

Staff:  Jon Carlson (786‑7459)

Hearing Dates: February 27, 1992

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on Law & Justice.

      Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Craswell, Vice Chairman; Bailey, Bauer, Bluechel, Cantu, Gaspard, M. Kreidler, Metcalf, Murray, Niemi, Rinehart, Saling, L. Smith, Talmadge, West, Williams, and Wojahn.

Staff:  Tim Yowell (786-7715)

Hearing Dates:  March 2, 1992

BACKGROUND:

The Crime Victims program is administered by the Department of Labor and Industries and provides benefits to victims injured as a result of a criminal act, or to the victim's family or dependents in case of death of the victim.  Current benefits provided to family members of a homicide victim include burial expenses and grant payments based on the victim's wages at the time of the homicide.  The average total grant payments are approximately $3,500 per case.

SUMMARY:

Family members of homicide victims are entitled to counseling benefits to recover from the effects of the homicide.  The perpetrator of the homicide is excluded from eligibility for this benefit.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested February 6, 1992

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

The counseling benefits are limited to immediate family members to assist in dealing with the immediate, near-term consequences of the related effects of the homicide.  The benefits may be provided only with respect to homicides committed on or after July 1, 1992.

TESTIMONY FOR:

Persons often require counseling services to help them cope with the trauma which accompanies the violent death of a family member.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Jeralita Costa, Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates (pro); Ida Ballasiotes, Friends of Diane (pro); Mike Redmond, County Prosecutor's Assn. (pro)