S-3226.2          _______________________________________________

                                 SENATE BILL 6108

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Senators Nelson, Rasmussen and Thorsness

Read first time 01/15/92.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.Authorizing the attorney general to investigate and prosecute a crime upon the request of the victim.

     AN ACT Relating to the authority of the attorney general to investigate and prosecute crimes upon the request of a victim; and amending RCW 43.10.232.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 43.10.232 and 1986 c 257 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) The attorney general shall have concurrent authority and power with the prosecuting attorneys to investigate crimes and initiate and conduct prosecutions upon the request of or with the concurrence of any of the following:

     (a) The county prosecuting attorney of the jurisdiction in which the offense has occurred;

     (b) The governor of the state of Washington; ((or))

     (c) A majority of the committee charged with the oversight of the organized crime intelligence unit; or

(d) A victim of a crime, if the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the offense occurred has declined prosecution of the victim's case.

     (2) Such request or concurrence shall be communicated in writing to the attorney general.

     (3) Prior to any prosecution by the attorney general under this section, the attorney general and the county in which the offense occurred shall reach an agreement regarding the payment of all costs, including expert witness fees, and defense attorneys' fees associated with any such prosecution.