HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6535

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                        Law & Justice

Title:  An act relating to electronic transfer of information.

Brief Description:  Providing for electronic transfer of criminal justice information.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Horn, Patterson, Haugen, Hale and Oke; by request of Washington State Patrol).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Law & Justice:  2/26/98, 2/27/98 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives Sheahan, Chairman; McDonald, Vice Chairman; Sterk, Vice Chairman; Costa, Ranking Minority Member; Constantine, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Carrell; Cody; Kenney; Lambert; Lantz; Mulliken; Robertson and Sherstad.

Staff:  Daniel Jablonsky (786-5793); Edie Adams (786-7180).

Background:  In 1984, the Criminal Justice Information Act was adopted.  The purpose of the act is to provide timely and accurate criminal histories, to identify and track felons, and to provide data for statewide planning and forecasting of the felon population.

At the conclusion of a criminal proceeding, the prosecutor, district or municipal court, or originating agency, depending on the level of the offense, is required to submit a report of the disposition to the Identification, Child Abuse, and Criminal History Section of the Washington State Patrol.  The report is transmitted on a State Patrol form and includes information about the type of disposition, the statutory citation, and identification information.  Only prosecutors report felony level disposition information to the section.

Summary of Bill:  Prosecutors and courts are required to submit disposition information to the section electronically when a secure electronic information transfer system is available.  Additionally, the superior court is allowed to share information transfer responsibilities with prosecutors where electronic submission procedures have been implemented.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  The electronic transfer of information will provide a more accurate and timely method of transferring information about criminal dispositions and will consequently reduce workload and costs.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Jim Horn, prime sponsor; Chuck Foster, Office of the Administrator for the Courts (pro); and Marsh Pugh, Washington State Patrol (pro).