FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2351

                         C 138 L 98

                     Synopsis as Enacted

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

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Government Administration (originally sponsored by 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).

House Committee on Government Administration

Senate Committee on Government Operations

Background:  A program of address confidentiality for victims of domestic violence is provided by 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 status.

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

 The Secretary of State may not disclose any information other than the designated address of a program participant.  To verify a person's participation in the program, the Secretary of State may confirm information supplied by the requestor.

Votes on Final Passage:

House930

Senate460(Senate amended)

House950(House concurred)

Effective:June 11, 1998