SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1081

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

         Human Services & Corrections, March 21, 1995

Title:  An act relating to sentences for additional crimes by felons.

Brief Description:  Specifying sentencing conditions for felons who commit additional felonies.

Sponsors:  Representatives Radcliff, Blanton, Costa, Koster, Ballasiotes, Cole, Dickerson, Basich and Mitchell; by request of Department of Corrections.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:  3/21/95 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Fairley, Kohl, Long, Moyer, Palmer, Prentice, Schow, Smith and Strannigan.

Staff:  Andrea McNamara (786-7483)

Background:  Under the Sentencing Reform Act, certain offenders are eligible to be placed on community supervision for all or a portion of their sentence.  The court is required to impose certain conditions, and may impose other appropriate "special conditions" on any offender sentenced to community supervision.

Examples of "special conditions" imposed by courts include no-contact orders with victims, prohibitions against drug or alcohol use, and participation in crime-related treatment or counseling services.

Under current law, when an offender commits a new felony offense while still under sentence for the prior offense, the term of confinement and the conditions of the new sentence do not take effect until completion of the first sentence.  This often results in the delayed implementation of special conditions that are specifically related to the second crime, such as no-contact orders with victims or participation in crime-related treatment or counseling.

Summary of Bill:  The court is authorized to require that the conditions of community supervision imposed with a second or later sentence begin immediately, and continue throughout the duration of the consecutive term.  The violation of these conditions is treated as a violation of the sentence currently being served.  As before, the new term of confinement does not begin until after expiration of all prior felony terms.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This bill requires felons to comply with new conditions immediately instead of waiting until they complete their earlier sentences.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Dave Savage, Director, Division of Community Corrections, Department of Corrections.