H-4747.1          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2533

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By House Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Representatives Hickel, Sheahan, Cody, Sterk, Smith, Morris and Dellwo)

Read first time 02/02/96. 

Revising misdemeanant probation programs.

     AN ACT Relating to misdemeanant probation services; and amending RCW 10.64.120.

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

     Sec. 1.  RCW 10.64.120 and 1991 c 247 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) Every judge of a court of limited jurisdiction shall have the authority to levy upon a person a monthly assessment not to exceed ((fifty)) one hundred dollars for services provided whenever ((a)) the person is referred by the court to the misdemeanant probation department for evaluation or supervision services.  The assessment may also be made by a ((sentencing)) judge in superior court when such misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor cases are heard in the superior court.

     (2) For the purposes of this section the office of the administrator for the courts shall define a probation department and adopt rules for the qualifications of probation officers based on occupational and educational requirements developed by an oversight committee.  This oversight committee shall include a representative from the district and municipal court judges association, the misdemeanant corrections association, the office of the administrator for the courts, and associations of cities and counties.  The oversight committee shall consider qualifications that provide the training and education necessary to (a) conduct presentencing and postsentencing background investigations, including sentencing recommendations to the court regarding jail terms, alternatives to incarceration, and conditions of release; and (b) provide ongoing supervision and assessment of offenders' needs and the risk they pose to the community.

(3) It shall be the responsibility of the probation services office to implement local procedures approved by the court of limited jurisdiction to ensure collection and payment of such fees into the general fund of the city or county treasury.

     (((3))) (4) Revenues raised under this section shall be used to fund programs for probation services and shall be in addition to those funds provided in RCW 3.62.050.

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