H‑2217.1   _____________________________________________

 

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1101

 

           _____________________________________________

 

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

 

By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Doumit, Lisk, Lovick, Clements, Gombosky, Delvin, Haigh, Barlean, Simpson, Mulliken, Kagi, Conway, Lantz, Hunt, Wood, Rockefeller, G. Chandler, Dunshee, Skinner, Ballasiotes, D. Schmidt, Romero, Kenney, Linville and Jackley)

 

READ FIRST TIME 03/8/01. 

_1      AN ACT Relating to funding for local government criminal

_2  justice; amending RCW 3.62.090 and 46.63.110; adding a new section

_3  to chapter 46.64 RCW; creating a new section; prescribing

_4  penalties; and providing an effective date.

     

_5  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     

_6      NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that:

_7      (1) The legislature has adopted numerous criminal laws related

_8  to DUI and domestic violence and that implementation of these laws

_9  has created substantial cumulative fiscal impacts on county and

10  city criminal justice agencies; and

11      (2) In 1999, Initiative 695 repealed the motor vehicle excise

12  tax, from which local governments derived a significant amount of

13  criminal justice funding.  That funding has been only partially

14  replaced.

15      It is the intent of the legislature to provide a source of

16  funds for county and city law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts

17  to help implement the criminal laws it has enacted.  It is the

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_1  intent of the legislature to increase fines in order to increase

_2  revenue to local governments.

     

_3      Sec. 2.  RCW 3.62.090 and 1997 c 331 s 4 are each amended to read

_4  as follows:

_5      (1) There shall be assessed and collected in addition to any

_6  fines, forfeitures, or penalties assessed, other than for parking

_7  infractions, by all courts organized under Title 3 or 35 RCW a

_8  public safety and education assessment equal to sixty percent of

_9  such fines, forfeitures, or penalties, which shall be remitted as

10  provided in chapters 3.46, 3.50, 3.62, and 35.20 RCW.  The

11  assessment required by this section shall not be suspended or

12  waived by the court.

13      (2) There shall be assessed and collected in addition to any

14  fines, forfeitures, or penalties assessed, other than for parking

15  infractions and for fines levied under RCW 46.61.5055, and in

16  addition to the public safety and education assessment required

17  under subsection (1) of this section, by all courts organized

18  under Title 3 or 35 RCW, an additional public safety and education

19  assessment equal to fifty percent of the public safety and

20  education assessment required under subsection (1) of this

21  section, which shall be remitted to the state treasurer and

22  deposited as provided in RCW 43.08.250.  The additional assessment

23  required by this subsection shall not be suspended or waived by

24  the court.

25      (3) This section does not apply to the fee imposed under RCW

26  ((43.63.110(6))) 46.63.110(6) or the penalty imposed under RCW

27  46.63.110(7).

     

28     Sec. 3.  RCW 46.63.110 and 1997 c 331 s 3 are each amended to read

29  as follows:

30      (1) A person found to have committed a traffic infraction shall

31  be assessed a monetary penalty.  No penalty may exceed two hundred

32  and fifty dollars for each offense unless authorized by this

33  chapter or title.

34      (2) The supreme court shall prescribe by rule a schedule of

35  monetary penalties for designated traffic infractions.  This rule

36  shall also specify the conditions under which local courts may

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_1  exercise discretion in assessing fines and penalties for traffic

_2  infractions.  The legislature respectfully requests the supreme

_3  court to adjust this schedule every two years for inflation.

_4      (3) There shall be a penalty of twenty-five dollars for failure

_5  to respond to a notice of traffic infraction except where the

_6  infraction relates to parking as defined by local law, ordinance,

_7  regulation, or resolution or failure to pay a monetary penalty

_8  imposed pursuant to this chapter.  A local legislative body may set

_9  a monetary penalty not to exceed twenty-five dollars for failure

10  to respond to a notice of traffic infraction relating to parking

11  as defined by local law, ordinance, regulation, or resolution.  The

12  local court, whether a municipal, police, or district court, shall

13  impose the monetary penalty set by the local legislative body.

14      (4) Monetary penalties provided for in chapter 46.70 RCW which

15  are civil in nature and penalties which may be assessed for

16  violations of chapter 46.44 RCW relating to size, weight, and load

17  of motor vehicles are not subject to the limitation on the amount

18  of monetary penalties which may be imposed pursuant to this

19  chapter.

20      (5) Whenever a monetary penalty is imposed by a court under

21  this chapter it is immediately payable.  If the person is unable to

22  pay at that time the court may, in its discretion, grant an

23  extension of the period in which the penalty may be paid.  If the

24  penalty is not paid on or before the time established for payment

25  the court shall notify the department of the failure to pay the

26  penalty, and the department shall suspend the person's driver's

27  license or driving privilege until the penalty has been paid and

28  the penalty provided in subsection (3) of this section has been

29  paid.

30      (6) In addition to any other penalties imposed under this

31  section and not subject to the limitation of subsection (1) of

32  this section, a person found to have committed a traffic

33  infraction shall be assessed a fee of five dollars per

34  infraction.  Under no circumstances shall this fee be reduced or

35  waived.  Revenue from this fee shall be forwarded to the state

36  treasurer for deposit in the emergency medical services and trauma

37  care system trust account under RCW 70.168.040.

38      (7)(a) In addition to any other penalties imposed under this

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_1  section and not subject to the limitation of subsection (1) of

_2  this section, a person found to have committed a traffic

_3  infraction other than of RCW 46.61.527 shall be assessed an

_4  additional penalty of ten dollars.  The court may not reduce, waive,

_5  or suspend the additional penalty unless the court finds the

_6  offender to be indigent.  If a community service program for

_7  offenders is available in the jurisdiction, the court shall allow

_8  offenders to offset all or a part of the penalty due under this

_9  subsection (7) by participation in the community service program.

10      (b) Revenue from the additional penalty must be remitted under

11  chapters 10.82, 2.08, 3.46, 3.50, 3.62, and 35.20 RCW.  Money

12  remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer must be

13  deposited as provided in RCW 43.08.250.  The balance of the revenue

14  received by the county or city treasurer under this subsection

15  must be deposited into the county or city current expense fund.

     

16      NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 46.64

17  RCW to read as follows:

18      (1) In addition to any other penalties imposed for conviction

19  of a violation of this title that is a misdemeanor, gross

20  misdemeanor, or felony, the court shall impose an additional

21  penalty of fifty dollars.  The court may not reduce, waive, or

22  suspend the additional penalty unless the court finds the offender

23  to be indigent.  If a community service program for offenders is

24  available in the jurisdiction, the court shall allow offenders to

25  offset all or a part of the penalty due under this section by

26  participation in the community service program.

27      (2) Revenue from the additional penalty must be remitted under

28  chapters 10.82, 2.08, 3.46, 3.50, 3.62, and 35.20 RCW.  Money

29  remitted under this section to the state treasurer must be

30  deposited as provided in RCW 43.08.250.  The balance of the revenue

31  received by the county or city treasurer under this section must

32  be deposited into the county or city current expense fund.

     

33      NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  This act takes effect September 1, 2001.

 

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