HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2351

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                  Government Administration

Title:  An act relating to the address confidentiality program.

Brief Description:  Allowing victims of sexual assault into the address confidentiality program.

Sponsors:  Representatives McDonald, Costa, L. Thomas, Scott, Gardner, Linville, Hatfield, Benson, Keiser, Romero, Butler, Dunshee, Kessler, Kenney, Cooke, Mitchell, Cooper, Kastama, Dunn, Lambert, Constantine, Sullivan, Conway and Lantz; by request of Secretary of State.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Government Administration:  1/20/98 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives D. Schmidt, Chairman; D. Sommers, Vice Chairman; Scott, Ranking Minority Member; Gardner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Doumit; Dunn; Dunshee; L. Thomas; Wensman and Wolfe.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  A program of address confidentiality for victims of domestic violence is established in the Secretary of State=s office.  A participant in this program may use an address designated by the Secretary of State as her or his residential address, school address, or work address.  All first class mail that is delivered to the participant at the designated address is forwarded to the participant.

Records of the actual address of a participant may not be disclosed except to law enforcement agencies, by court order, or if the certification of the person in the program has been canceled.

The Secretary of State may designate state and local agencies and nonprofit agencies that provide counseling and shelter services to victims of domestic assault to assist persons applying to be program participants.

A program participant may apply for on-going absentee voter and receive ballots in the same manner as a service voter.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The program of address confidentiality for victims of domestic violence is expanded to include victims of sexual assault.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Technical changes.  The expansion of the program to include victims of sexual assault is added to various provisions.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 20, 1998.

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

Testimony For:  Victims of sexual assault need this protection.  The Secretary of State=s office can absorb the added responsibilities without much effort or expense.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative McDonald, prime sponsor; Margaret McKinney, Office of the Secretary of State; and Suzanne Brown, Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Program.