HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

HB 1932

Title:An act relating to including terrorism committed outside of the United States in the definition of criminal act for the purposes of crime victim compensation and assistance.

Brief Description:Including foreign terrorism in the definition of criminal act for the purpose of crime victim compensation and assistance.

Sponsors: Representatives Costa, Ballasiotes, Sheahan, Scott, O=Brien, Wensman, Blalock, Kessler, Conway, Mason and Tokuda.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS

Staff:Yvonne Walker (786-7841)

Background:  A criminal act includes those actions committed or attempted in Washington which are punishable as a gross misdemeanor or felony.  A criminal act also includes those actions committed in states outside of Washington which would be a felony or gross misdemeanor if it took place in the state of Washington.

Washington residents injured by a criminal act in Washington or in a state which does not have a crime victims compensation program, or their surviving spouses and dependents, are generally eligible to receive benefits under the Crime Victims= Compensation  program.  The crime victims compensation act does not provide benefits for citizens of the state who are subjected to acts of foreign terrorism.

Summary:  The term Acriminal act@ is expanded to include foreign terrorism committed outside of the United States against a resident of Washington.  This will permit those Washington residents experiencing some type of foreign terrorism, inside or outside of the United States, to receive compensation and assistance under the crime victims program.   

The term Aforeign terrorism@ includes activities that:

(1)  involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of criminal laws of the United States or of any state, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any state;

(2)  appear to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;  (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by assassination or kidnaping; and

(3) occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum.

Require the Exercise of Rule- Making Powers:  No

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 19, 1997.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.