SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SSB 5418

                       AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 13, 1991

Brief Description:  Creating an interagency criminal justice work group.

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

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5418 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

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

Staff:  Ben Barnes (786‑7465)

Hearing Dates:February 6, 1991; February 15, 1991

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

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.

It is recommended that statutory authority be provided for the continuation of the work group's functions and duties.

SUMMARY:

The interagency criminal justice work group is created.  The group is required to:  (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) make policy recommendations to the Law and Justice Committee of the Senate, the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, and the Governor on an annual basis.  The group also serves as a centralized source for prison population forecasting and projection.

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

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

Appropriation:  $30,000

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:  None

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  No one 

HOUSE AMENDMENT(S):

The provisions of the original bill are stricken and replaced.  A task force on sentencing of adult criminal offenders is created.  The Washington Institute for Public Policy must, within available funds, conduct a study on the problem of police harassment and brutality towards residents of the state.  The Criminal Justice Training Commission must, within available funds, develop a training program for law enforcement personnel to reduce the incidence of police brutality and harassment.