HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1027

             As Reported By House Committee On:

               Criminal Justice & Corrections

Title:  An act relating to expanding the membership of the criminal justice training commission.

Brief Description:  Expanding the membership of the criminal justice training commission.

Sponsors:  Representatives Scott, Huff, Lantz, Conway and McDonald; by request of Criminal Justice Training Commission.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Criminal Justice & Corrections:  1/19/99, 1/27/99 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Increases the membership of the Criminal Justice Training Commission by two positions for a total of 14 members.

$Appointed by the Governor, the two new members will include one county and one municipal law enforcement officer.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 7 members:  Representatives Ballasiotes, Republican Co-Chair; O'Brien, Democratic Co-Chair; Cairnes, Republican Vice Chair; Lovick, Democratic Vice Chair; B. Chandler; Constantine and Kagi.

Staff:  Yvonne Walker (786-7841).

Background:

The Criminal Justice Training Commission was established in 1974 for the primary purpose of providing basic law enforcement training, corrections training, and educational programs for criminal justice personnel, including commissioned officers, corrections officers, fire marshals, and prosecuting attorneys.

Membership.  The commission consists of 12 members who are selected as follows:

$  The Governor appoints:  two incumbent sheriffs; two incumbent chiefs of police;

one person employed in a county correctional system; one person employed in the state correctional system; one incumbent county prosecuting attorney or municipal attorney; one elected official of a local government; and one private citizen.

$  The three remaining members are the attorney general, the special agent in charge of the Seattle office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the chief of the state patrol.

Summary of Bill:

Membership.  The membership of the commission is increased by two positions for a total of 14 members.  The two members are appointed by the Governor and must be a county and municipal law enforcement officer who are at or below the position of first line supervisor within their agency.  Both law enforcement officers must have a minimum of 10 years of law enforcement experience.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  Most criminal justice training commissions in other states have law enforcement labor representation on them and this bill will allow Washington to follow that same trend.  Last year's bill expanded the commission by four positions, however, several agencies felt that expansion was too large.  This year's expansion by two members seems to be a more favorable compromise by both the commission and the Governor's office.

Testimony Against:  None. 

Testified:  (In support) Michael Paisons, Criminal Justice Training Commission; and Larry Erickson, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.