FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1589

                         C 343 L 97

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing a crime victim to have an advocate present at any judicial proceeding.

Sponsors:  Representatives Robertson, Costa, Radcliff, Cody, Scott, Cole, Skinner, Lantz, Constantine, Delvin, K. Schmidt, Murray, Hankins, Blalock, Hatfield, Wensman, O'Brien, Linville, Cooke, Ogden, Sheldon, Kessler and Kenney.

House Committee on Law & Justice

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  The Legislature has explicitly recognized not only the impact of crime on victims, survivors of victims, and witnesses of crime, but also the civic and moral duty of those individuals to fully and voluntarily cooperate with law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies.

The crime victims law provides, among other things, that there must be a reasonable effort to ensure the right of a victim of a violent or sex crime to have an advocate present at any prosecutorial or defense interview with the victim.

The right to have an advocate present applies if the presiding judge determines that it is practical and would not cause an unnecessary delay in the investigation or prosecution of the case.  The role of the advocate is to provide emotional support to the victim.

Summary:  The proceedings at which a crime victim advocate=s presence may be allowed are expanded to include any judicial proceeding related to criminal acts committed against the victim, not just interviews with the victim. 

Votes on Final Passage:

House970

Senate460(Senate amended)

House920(House concurred)

Effective:July 27,  1997