SENATE BILL REPORT
ESHB 2198
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 24, 1994
Brief Description: Forbidding juvenile sex offenders from attending the same school as their victims.
SPONSORS: House Committee on Corrections (originally sponsored by Representatives Ballasiotes, Campbell, Horn, Long, Wood, Appelwick, Ballard, Karahalios, Reams, Wineberry, Foreman, Kessler, Cooke, Dyer, Schoesler, Casada, B. Thomas, Carlson, Van Luven, Silver, Schmidt, Brumsickle, Brough, J. Kohl, King, Flemming, Roland, Kremen, Sheldon, Chandler, Eide, Johanson, Lisk, Sehlin and Springer)
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CORRECTIONS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators A. Smith, Chairman; Ludwig, Vice Chairman; Hargrove, Nelson, Quigley, Roach, Schow and Spanel.
Staff: Susan Carlson (786‑7418)
Hearing Dates: February 24, 1994
BACKGROUND:
Current law does not prohibit a juvenile sex offender from attending the same school as his or her victim. A juvenile is a sex offender if he or she has been adjudicated guilty of rape, rape of a child, child molestation, indecent liberties, incest or communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.
SUMMARY:
After release or parole, a juvenile sex offender may not attend a public elementary, middle or high school attended by his or her victim.
Transportation and other costs related to the offender's change in schools must be paid by the offender's parents or guardians. When the Department of Social and Health Services releases a sex offender, the secretary must provide notice of the statute's requirements to the appropriate school board.
Appropriation: none
Revenue: none
Fiscal Note: available
TESTIMONY FOR:
A victim of a sex offense should not be re-victimized by having the offender attend the same school.
TESTIMONY AGAINST: None
TESTIFIED: PRO: Representative Ida Ballasiotes, prime sponsor; Det. Jack Furey, Thurston County Sheriff's Dept.; Judge Paula Casey, Thurston County Superior Court; Leslie Prather, Chinook Middle School