SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5020

               As Passed Senate, March 12, 1997

Title:  An act relating to powers of district and municipal court judges.

Brief Description:  Making certain sentencing conditions set by local judges enforceable county‑wide.

Sponsors:  Senators Fairley and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Law & Justice:  1/20/97, 1/21/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/12/97, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Johnson, Vice Chair; Fairley, Goings, Hargrove, Haugen, Jacobsen, Long, McCaslin and Stevens.

Staff:  Aldo Melchiori (786-7439)

Background:  In some jurisdictions, specific areas are designated as areas of prostitution.  When sentencing a defendant for a prostitution offense, the municipal or district court judge often includes a requirement that the defendant stay out of those designated areas of prostitution.

Questions have been raised as to whether a municipal judge can order a defendant to stay out of designated areas of prostitution that are outside the municipality.  Also, law enforcement would like to have authority to arrest defendants they see in designated anti-prostitution areas in violation of the court order.

Summary of Bill:  Conditions of release and conditions of suspension or deferral of a sentence by a municipal court prohibiting an offender from being present or remaining within any designated anti-prostitution emphasis area may specify prohibited areas of prostitution anywhere within any county that contains any portion of the city.  District courts may specify prohibited areas of prostitution anywhere within the county.  The conditions may be enforced by any law enforcement officer.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Stay out of areas of prostitution (SOAP) orders have been very effective in fighting prostitution.  SOAP orders allow all law enforcement officers, not just vice, to be active in preventing prostitution.  Municipal and district court judges are supportive of the use and extension of SOAP orders. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Melanie Stewart, District and Municipal Court Judges Association(pro); Brad Ray, King County Police (pro).