HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1401

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to sharing of juvenile records among schools and other agencies.

Brief Description:  Allowing disclosure of juvenile records to affected school districts.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Brumsickle, Cole, Carlson, G. Fisher, Mastin, Poulsen, Elliot, Quall, Clements, Smith, Chandler, Patterson, Costa, Mielke, Campbell, Mulliken, Honeyford, Talcott, Cooke, Thompson, L. Thomas, Mitchell, Kremen, Scott, Wolfe, Boldt, Conway and McMorris).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Education:  2/7/95, 2/16/95 [DPS].

  Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/13/95, 95-1.

Senate Amended.

House Concurred.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 18 members:  Representatives Brumsickle, Chairman; Elliot, Vice Chairman; Johnson, Vice Chairman; Cole, Ranking Minority Member; Poulsen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Clements; Dickerson; G. Fisher; Fuhrman; Hatfield; Pelesky; Quall; Radcliff; Smith; Talcott; B. Thomas; Thompson and Veloria.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative McMahan.

Staff:  Robert Butts (786-7111).

Background:  School districts are interested in receiving information about students coming to schools in order to ensure the best placement, supervision and support services for the student while ensuring adequate safety of students and staff.  The federal and state laws that address the sharing of information about juveniles create a complex maze of overlapping and conflicting mandates that make it difficult to know when and how information may be shared.

Summary of Bill:  The appropriate school districts or approved private school is to be notified when a state juvenile detention center releases a juvenile who has committed a violent crime, sex crime, or stalking crime, except in certain circumstances.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 31, 1995.

Effective Date of Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  We need better information on students who arrive at our door if we are to protect the students in our schools.  This legislation will reduce the fear and confusion regarding the transfer of student records.

Testimony Against:  This legislation calls for government agencies to exchange highly personal and sensitive records without consent.  Any disclosure of personal information should require the consent of the individual or the parent of the individual.  The blanket immunity for those who share information is too great of a protection.

Testified:  Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals (pro); Steve Dinger, Washington Federation of Independent Schools (pro); Jerry Sheehan, American Civil Liberties Union (con); Donna Salcedo, Seattle Schools (pro); Kathy O'Toole, Washington Education Association (pro); Janeane Dubuar, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (con); and Patricia Hanson, Department of Social and Health Services.