SENATE BILL REPORT

                  ESHB 2337

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                  Judiciary, February 4, 2000

Title:  An act relating to a state‑wide jail booking and reporting system.

Brief Description:  Ordering implementation of a state‑wide city and county jail booking and reporting system.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections (originally sponsored by Representatives Ballasiotes, O'Brien, Cairnes, Kagi, B. Chandler, Lovick, Delvin, Carlson and Conway).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Judiciary:  2/3/2000, 2/4/2000 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Heavey, Chair; Kline, Vice Chair; Costa, Goings, Hargrove, Haugen, Long, McCaslin, Roach, Thibaudeau and Zarelli.

Staff:  Aldo Melchiori (786-7439)

Background:  The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) is considered a combination of units of local government.  It is responsible for, upon the request of a county, assisting that county in helping to develop and implement its local law and justice plan.  The association also maintains a central repository for the collection of all malicious harassment crimes and is responsible for working with other state and local agencies in conducting crime-related studies.

Summary of Bill:  WASPC implements and operates a statewide central booking and reporting system by December 31, 2001.  The minimum contents of the system are specified.  The system is placed on the Washington Justice Information Network and is capable of communicating electronically with every city and county jail and all state criminal justice agencies located in Washington.

After implementation of the system, if a city or county jail or law enforcement agency receives state or federal funding to cover the cost of implementing or reconfiguring an electronic jail booking system, its system must comply with WASPC=s jail booking system.

City or county jails, or law enforcement agencies that operate electronic jail booking systems, but do not accept state or federal money to implement or reconfigure their electronic jail booking systems, must electronically forward their jail booking information to WASPC.  The minimum information is specified.

WASPC convenes a statewide Jail Booking and Reporting System Standards Committee.  The committee is authorized to develop and amend operational standards for the statewide jail booking and reporting system and standards for allocating grants to city and county jails or law enforcement agencies that will be implementing or reconfiguring their electronic jail booking system.

A report, containing the operational standards and standards developed for allocating grants to city and county jails and law enforcement agencies, must be provided to all city and county jails, all criminal justice agencies, the chair of the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee, and the chair of the House of Representatives Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee by January 1, 2001.

WASPC is also responsible for pursuing federal funding to pay for the costs of implementing the central jail booking system.  All federal or state money collected to offset the costs associated with the jail booking and reporting system must be deposited and processed through a local jail booking system grant fund established and managed by the WASPC.  The statewide Jail Booking and Reporting System Standards Committee is responsible for distributing the grants.

If federal funding is not received to implement the act, it is null and void.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This system will increase the efficiency of the system by facilitating communication between counties.  Digital imaging of mug photographs will save money.  The safety of police officers and jail personnel will be increased.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Representative Ballasiotes, prime sponsor; Tim Shellberg, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs; Mike Whelan, Grays Harbor Sheriff; Dave Reichert, King County Sheriff.