SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5124

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

        Human Services & Corrections, February 19, 1997

Title:  An act relating to assessments for the prostitution prevention and intervention account.

Brief Description:  Imposing an additional assessment for persons entering diversion agreements in regard to prostitution offenses.

Sponsors:  Senators Kohl, Roach, Long, Fairley, Hargrove, Haugen and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:  2/4/97, 2/19/97 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5124 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Long, Chair; Zarelli, Vice Chair; Franklin, Hargrove, Kohl, Schow and Stevens.

Staff:  Kyle Thiessen (786-7754)

Background:  Under current law, adult and adjudicated juvenile offenders who are convicted or given a deferred prosecution or deferred sentence for a violation of indecent exposure or specified prostitution statutes or equivalent local ordinances must pay an assessment to the prostitution prevention and intervention account.  The money in the account is used to fund prostitution prevention and intervention activities.

The offenses covered by the assessment provision are: Patronizing a juvenile prostitute, indecent exposure, prostitution, permitting prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, and promoting prostitution 1 and 2.  The assessment ranges from $50 to $300 depending upon the offense.

A diversion agreement is a contract between a person accused of an offense and a representative of the prosecutor or the court whereby the person agrees to fulfill certain conditions in order to avoid prosecution.  It has been suggested that persons who have their sentences diverted should also be ordered to pay the assessment. 

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Persons who have entered into diversion agreements as a result of one of the specified offenses are required to pay an assessment to the prostitution prevention and intervention account.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  A definition of "diversion agreement" was added to clarify that local diversion agreements for adults are covered by the bill.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  Many persons arrested for patronizing a prostitute are given a diversion program and are not convicted.  This bill would increase the accumulation of funds in the prostitution prevention and intervention account, so that CTED could start prevention and intervention programs.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Steve Eckstrom, CTED.