BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to the dissemination of information regarding sex offenders; and amending RCW 4.24.550 and 4.24.5501.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 4.24.550 and 1998 c 220 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Public agencies are authorized to release information to the public regarding sex offenders and kidnapping offenders when the agency determines that disclosure of the information is relevant and necessary to protect the public and counteract the danger created by the particular offender. This authorization applies to information regarding: (a) Any person adjudicated or convicted of a sex offense as defined in RCW 9A.44.130 or a kidnapping offense as defined by RCW 9A.44.130; (b) any person under the jurisdiction of the indeterminate sentence review board as the result of a sex offense or kidnapping offense; (c) any person committed as a sexually violent predator under chapter 71.09 RCW or as a sexual psychopath under chapter 71.06 RCW; (d) any person found not guilty of a sex offense or kidnapping offense by reason of insanity under chapter 10.77 RCW; and (e) any person found incompetent to stand trial for a sex offense or kidnapping offense and subsequently committed under chapter 71.05 or 71.34 RCW.

(2) The extent of the public disclosure of relevant and necessary information shall be rationally related to: (a) The level of risk posed by the offender to the community; (b) the locations where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found; and (c) the needs of the affected community members for information to enhance their individual and collective safety.

(3) Local law enforcement agencies shall consider the following guidelines in determining the extent of a public disclosure made under this section: (a) For offenders classified as risk level I, the agency shall share information with other appropriate law enforcement agencies and may disclose, upon request, relevant, necessary, and accurate information to any victim or witness to the offense and to any individual community member who lives near the residence where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found; (b) for offenders classified as risk level II, the agency may also disclose relevant, necessary, and accurate information to public and private schools, child day care centers, family day care providers, businesses and organizations that serve primarily children, women, or vulnerable adults, and neighbors and community groups near the residence where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found; and (c) for offenders classified as risk level III, the agency may also disclose relevant, necessary, and accurate information to the public at large.

(4) Local law enforcement agencies are authorized to use the internet to disseminate information regarding offenders classified as risk level II or III.

(5) Local law enforcement agencies that disseminate information pursuant to this section shall: (a) Review available risk level classifications made by the department of corrections, the department of social and health services, and the indeterminate sentence review board; (b) assign risk level classifications to all offenders about whom information will be disseminated; and (c) make a good faith effort to notify the public and residents at least fourteen days before the offender is released from confinement or, where an offender moves from another jurisdiction, as soon as possible after the agency learns of the offender's move, except that in no case may this notification provision be construed to require an extension of an offender's release date. The juvenile court shall provide local law enforcement officials with all relevant information on offenders allowed to remain in the community in a timely manner.

((~~(5)~~)) (6) An appointed or elected public official, public employee, or public agency as defined in RCW 4.24.470 is immune from civil liability for damages for any discretionary risk level classification decisions or release of relevant and necessary information, unless it is shown that the official, employee, or agency acted with gross negligence or in bad faith. The immunity in this section applies to risk level classification decisions and the release of relevant and necessary information regarding any individual for whom disclosure is authorized. The decision of a local law enforcement agency or official to classify an offender to a risk level other than the one assigned by the department of corrections, the department of social and health services, or the indeterminate sentence review board, or the release of any relevant and necessary information based on that different classification shall not, by itself, be considered gross negligence or bad faith. The immunity provided under this section applies to the release of relevant and necessary information to other public officials, public employees, or public agencies, and to the general public.

((~~(6)~~)) (7) Except as may otherwise be provided by law, nothing in this section shall impose any liability upon a public official, public employee, or public agency for failing to release information authorized under this section.

((~~(7)~~)) (8) Nothing in this section implies that information regarding persons designated in subsection (1) of this section is confidential except as may otherwise be provided by law.

((~~(8)~~)) (9) When a local law enforcement agency or official classifies an offender differently than the offender is classified by the department of corrections, the department of social and health services, or the indeterminate sentence review board, the law enforcement agency or official shall notify the appropriate department or the board and submit its reasons supporting the change in classification.

Sec. 2. RCW 4.24.5501 and 1997 c 364 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) By December 1, 1997, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall develop a model policy for law enforcement agencies to follow when they disclose information about sex offenders to the public under RCW 4.24.550. The model policy shall be designed to further the objectives of providing adequate notice to the community concerning sex offenders who are or will be residing in the community and of assisting community members in developing constructive plans to prepare themselves and their children for residing near released sex offenders.

(2) In developing the policy, the association shall consult with representatives of the following agencies and professions: (a) The department of corrections; (b) the department of social and health services; (c) the indeterminate sentence review board; (d) the Washington state council of police officers; (e) local correctional agencies; (f) the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys; (g) the Washington public defender association; (h) the Washington association for the treatment of sexual abusers; and (i) victim advocates.

(3) The model policy shall, at a minimum, include recommendations to address the following issues: (a) Procedures for local agencies or officials to accomplish the notifications required under RCW 4.24.550((~~(8)~~)) (9); (b) contents and form of community notification documents, including procedures for ensuring the accuracy of factual information contained in the notification documents, and ways of protecting the privacy of victims of the offenders' crimes; (c) methods of distributing community notification documents; (d) methods of providing follow-up notifications to community residents at specified intervals and of disclosing information about offenders to law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions if necessary to protect the public; (e) methods of educating community residents at public meetings on how they can use the information in the notification document in a reasonable manner to enhance their individual and collective safety; (f) procedures for educating community members regarding the right of sex offenders not to be the subject of harassment or criminal acts as a result of the notification process; and (g) other matters the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs deems necessary to ensure the effective and fair administration of RCW 4.24.550.