H-4303.1  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 2962

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Robertson, Kessler, Lisk, Costa, Sheahan, McDonald, L. Thomas and Anderson

 

Read first time 01/26/98.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Creating the crime of criminal mistreatment in the third degree.


    AN ACT Relating to criminal mistreatment; amending RCW 43.43.830; adding a new section to chapter 9A.42 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 9A.42 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Any person who commits domestic violence, as defined in RCW 10.99.020, within sight or sound of the victim's or offender's minor children under the age of eighteen years is guilty of criminal mistreatment in the third degree.

    (2) Criminal mistreatment in the third degree is a misdemeanor.

    (3) As part of any sentence for criminal mistreatment in the third degree, the court shall impose and enforce an order with the following conditions:

    (a) Restricted or no contact with the victim, as defined in RCW 10.99.020, for a period not to exceed the maximum sentence for the crime, regardless of the expiration of the offender's term of community supervision;

    (b) No further acts of violence or threats against the victim, as defined in RCW 10.99.020;

    (c) If the offense was committed while the defendant was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, comprehensive substance abuse assessment and treatment services appropriate for the offender and submission to urinalysis or other testing to monitor drug and alcohol use during any periods of community supervision;

    (d) Completion of a domestic violence perpetrator program approved under chapter 26.50 RCW; and

    (e) The defendant shall pay the cost of evaluation, treatment, and monitoring.

    (4) The court may waive any of the minimum sentencing conditions in subsection (3) of this section upon finding that the conditions would not be in the best interests of justice.  The court shall state on the record its reasons for any waiver.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 43.43.830 and 1996 c 178 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

    Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.840.

    (1) "Applicant" means:

    (a) Any prospective employee who will or may have unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age or developmentally disabled persons or vulnerable adults during the course of his or her employment or involvement with the business or organization;

    (b) Any prospective volunteer who will have regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults during the course of his or her employment or involvement with the business or organization under circumstances where such access will or may involve groups of (i) five or fewer children under twelve years of age, (ii) three or fewer children between twelve and sixteen years of age, (iii) developmentally disabled persons, or (iv) vulnerable adults; or

    (c) Any prospective adoptive parent, as defined in RCW 26.33.020.

    (2) "Business or organization" means a business or organization licensed in this state, any agency of the state, or other governmental entity, that educates, trains, treats, supervises, houses, or provides recreation to developmentally disabled persons, vulnerable adults, or children under sixteen years of age, including but not limited to public housing authorities, school districts, and educational service districts.

    (3) "Civil adjudication" means a specific court finding of sexual abuse or exploitation or physical abuse in a dependency action under RCW 13.34.040 or in a domestic relations action under Title 26 RCW.  In the case of vulnerable adults, civil adjudication means a specific court finding of abuse or financial exploitation in a protection proceeding under chapter 74.34 RCW.  It does not include administrative proceedings.  The term "civil adjudication" is further limited to court findings that identify as the perpetrator of the abuse a named individual, over the age of eighteen years, who was a party to the dependency or dissolution proceeding or was a respondent in a protection proceeding in which the finding was made and who contested the allegation of abuse or exploitation.

    (4) "Conviction record" means "conviction record" information as defined in RCW 10.97.030(3) relating to a crime against children or other persons committed by either an adult or a juvenile.  It does not include a conviction for an offense that has been the subject of an expungement, pardon, annulment, certificate of rehabilitation, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of the rehabilitation of the person convicted, or a conviction that has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of innocence.  It does include convictions for offenses for which the defendant received a deferred or suspended sentence, unless the record has been expunged according to law.

    (5) "Crime against children or other persons" means a conviction of any of the following offenses:  Aggravated murder; first or second degree murder; first or second degree kidnapping; first, second, or third degree assault; first, second, or third degree assault of a child; first, second, or third degree rape; first, second, or third degree rape of a child; first or second degree robbery; first degree arson; first degree burglary; first or second degree manslaughter; first or second degree extortion; indecent liberties; incest; vehicular homicide; first degree promoting prostitution; communication with a minor; unlawful imprisonment; simple assault; sexual exploitation of minors; first ((or)), second, or third degree criminal mistreatment; child abuse or neglect as defined in RCW 26.44.020; first or second degree custodial interference; malicious harassment; first, second, or third degree child molestation; first or second degree sexual misconduct with a minor; first or second degree rape of a child; patronizing a juvenile prostitute; child abandonment; promoting pornography; selling or distributing erotic material to a minor; custodial assault; violation of child abuse restraining order; child buying or selling; prostitution; felony indecent exposure; criminal abandonment; or any of these crimes as they may be renamed in the future.

    (6) "Crimes relating to financial exploitation" means a conviction for first, second, or third degree extortion; first, second, or third degree theft; first or second degree robbery; forgery; or any of these crimes as they may be renamed in the future.

    (7) "Disciplinary board final decision" means any final decision issued by a disciplining authority under chapter 18.130 RCW or the secretary of the department of health for the following businesses or professions:

    (a) Chiropractic;

    (b) Dentistry;

    (c) Dental hygiene;

    (d) Massage;

    (e) Midwifery;

    (f) Naturopathy;

    (g) Osteopathic medicine and surgery;

    (h) Physical therapy;

    (i) Physicians;

    (j) Practical nursing;

    (k) Registered nursing; and

    (l) Psychology.

    "Disciplinary board final decision," for real estate brokers and salespersons, means any final decision issued by the director of the department of licensing for real estate brokers and salespersons.

    (8) "Unsupervised" means not in the presence of:

    (a) Another employee or volunteer from the same business or organization as the applicant; or

    (b) Any relative or guardian of any of the children or developmentally disabled persons or vulnerable adults to which the applicant has access during the course of his or her employment or involvement with the business or organization.

    (9) "Vulnerable adult" means "vulnerable adult" as defined in chapter 74.34 RCW, except that for the purposes of requesting and receiving background checks pursuant to RCW 43.43.832, it shall also include adults of any age who lack the functional, mental, or physical ability to care for themselves.

    (10) "Financial exploitation" means the illegal or improper use of a vulnerable adult or that adult's resources for another person's profit or advantage.

    (11) "Agency" means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, or facility which receives, provides services to, houses or otherwise cares for vulnerable adults.

 


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