SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6535

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                Law & Justice, February 5, 1998

Title:  An act relating to electronic transfer of information.

Brief Description:  Providing for electronic transfer of criminal justice information.

Sponsors:  Senators Horn, Patterson, Haugen, Hale and Oke; by request of Washington State Patrol.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Law & Justice:  2/5/98 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6535 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Fairley, Goings, Kline, McCaslin and Zarelli.

Staff:  Harry Steinmetz (786-7421)

Background:  The Justice Information Act was adopted in 1984 to provide timely and accurate criminal histories, to identify and track felons, and to provide data for statewide planning and forecasting.  The goal of the project is to transition all 39 counties from the current manual process to an electronic system.

Currently, only county prosecutors report felony-level disposition information to the State Patrol, providing a link between an arrest and disposition.  The transmittal of information is done manually and must be keyed in at the State Patrol.  The lag time is several weeks. 

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The statutory authority necessary to allow county prosecutors and courts to submit arrest dispositions information electronically to the State Patrol's's Identification and Criminal History Section is provided.  Additionally, the superior court is allowed to share the reporting responsibility in counties where electronic submission procedures have been implemented.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The word "secure" is inserted after "other" and before "method" requiring all other methods of electronic transfer over a secure lines or encrypted.  This protects the privacy of individuals and preserve the integrity of the information. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This bill will bring criminal justice information sharing into the modern age.  Currently, this information is transmitted by hard copy and must be keyed in by hand.  This will allow law enforcement throughout the state to have access to the most up to date information. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified: Chief Annette Sandberg, Washington State Patrol (pro).