S-3866.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6188

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senators Sheldon, Prentice, Wojahn, Thibaudeau, Fairley, Kohl, Rinehart, Spanel, Snyder, Winsley and Rasmussen

Read first time 01/08/96.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Establishing a conditional privilege for communications between victims of sexual assaults and their personal representatives.

    AN ACT Relating to communications between victims of sexual assaults and their personal representatives; and amending RCW 70.125.060.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 70.125.060 and 1979 ex.s. c 219 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) If the victim of a sexual assault so desires, a personal representative of the victim's choice may accompany the victim to the hospital or other health care facility, and to proceedings concerning the alleged assault, including police and prosecution interviews and court proceedings.

(2) A personal representative, as defined by RCW 70.125.030, of a victim of sexual assault may not, without the consent of the victim, be examined as to any communication made by the victim to the personal representative.

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