SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5128

                    As of January 27, 1997

Title:  An act relating to fees charged to law enforcement agencies for death certificates of sex offenders.

Brief Description:  Limiting fees charged to law enforcement agencies for death certificates of sex offenders.

Sponsors:  Senators Long, Hargrove, Franklin, Schow and Winsley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:  1/28/97.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Staff:  Kyle Thiessen (786-7754)

Background:  A death certificate is required in order to remove a sex offender who has died from the Washington State Patrol sex offender registry.  The local law enforcement agency usually obtains the death certificate and then forwards a copy to the State Patrol.  The law enforcement agency may obtain the death certificate from the Center for Health Statistics in the Department of Health or from the county where the death occurred.

Until recently, this information was available from the center without charge to law enforcement agencies.  However, due to a statutory limitation on the center's authority to waive the fee, law enforcement agencies are now being charged $11 for each request.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Health is prohibited from charging any fee for furnishing a certified copy of a death certificate of a sex offender to a law enforcement agency for use in maintaining a registered sex offender data base.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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