Z‑0574.1   _____________________________________________

 

HOUSE BILL 1275

 

           _____________________________________________

 

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Lantz and Esser; by request of Administrator for the Courts

 

Read first time 01/22/2001.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

_1      AN ACT Relating to the administrator for the courts; amending

_2  RCW 2.56.010, 2.56.020, and 2.56.030; and making an appropriation.

     

_3  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     

_4      Sec. 1.  RCW 2.56.010 and 1984 c 20 s 1 are each amended to read as

_5  follows:

_6      There shall be a state office to be known as the office of

_7  administrator for the courts who shall be appointed by the supreme

_8  court of this state from a list of five persons submitted by the

_9  governor of the state of Washington, and shall hold office at the

10  pleasure of the appointing power.  ((He shall not be over the age of

11  sixty years at the time of his appointment.  He shall receive a))

12  The administrator's salary ((to)) shall be fixed by the supreme

13  court.

     

14      Sec. 2.  RCW 2.56.020 and 1957 c 259 s 2 are each amended to read

15  as follows:

16      The administrator for the courts, with the approval of the

17  chief justice of the supreme court of this state, shall appoint

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_1  and fix the compensation of such assistants as are necessary to

_2  enable ((him to perform)) performance of the power and duties

_3  vested in ((him.  During his term of office or employment, neither

_4  the administrator nor any assistant shall engage directly or

_5  indirectly in the practice of law in this state)) the office of

_6  administrator for the courts.

     

_7      Sec. 3.  RCW 2.56.030 and 1997 c 41 s 2 are each amended to read as

_8  follows:

_9      The administrator for the courts shall, under the supervision

10  and direction of the chief justice:

11      (1) Examine the administrative methods and systems employed in

12  the offices of the judges, clerks, stenographers, and employees of

13  the courts and make recommendations, through the chief justice,

14  for the improvement of the same;

15      (2) Examine the state of the dockets of the courts and

16  determine the need for assistance by any court;

17      (3) Make recommendations to the chief justice relating to the

18  assignment of judges where courts are in need of assistance and

19  carry out the direction of the chief justice as to the assignments

20  of judges to counties and districts where the courts are in need

21  of assistance;

22      (4) Collect and compile statistical and other data and make

23  reports of the business transacted by the courts and transmit the

24  same to the chief justice to the end that proper action may be

25  taken in respect thereto;

26      (5) Prepare and submit budget estimates of state appropriations

27  necessary for the maintenance and operation of the judicial system

28  and make recommendations in respect thereto;

29      (6) Collect statistical and other data and make reports

30  relating to the expenditure of public moneys, state and local, for

31  the maintenance and operation of the judicial system and the

32  offices connected therewith;

33      (7) Obtain reports from clerks of courts in accordance with law

34  or rules adopted by the supreme court of this state on cases and

35  other judicial business in which action has been delayed beyond

36  periods of time specified by law or rules of court and make report

37  thereof to supreme court of this state;

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_1      (8) Act as secretary of the judicial conference referred to in

_2  RCW 2.56.060;

_3      (9) Submit annually, as of February 1st, to the chief justice,

_4  a report of the activities of the administrator's office for the

_5  preceding calendar year including activities related to courthouse

_6  security;

_7      (10) Administer programs and standards for the training and

_8  education of judicial personnel;

_9      (11) Examine the need for new superior court and district judge

10  positions under a weighted caseload analysis that takes into

11  account the time required to hear all the cases in a particular

12  court and the amount of time existing judges have available to

13  hear cases in that court.  The results of the weighted caseload

14  analysis shall be reviewed by the board for judicial

15  administration which shall make recommendations to the

16  legislature.  It is the intent of the legislature that weighted

17  caseload analysis become the basis for creating additional

18  district court positions, and recommendations should address that

19  objective;

20      (12) Provide staff to the judicial retirement account plan

21  under chapter 2.14 RCW;

22      (13) Attend to such other matters as may be assigned by the

23  supreme court of this state;

24      (14) Within available funds, develop a curriculum for a general

25  understanding of child development, placement, and treatment

26  resources, as well as specific legal skills and knowledge of

27  relevant statutes including chapters 13.32A, 13.34, and 13.40 RCW,

28  cases, court rules, interviewing skills, and special needs of the

29  abused or neglected child.  This curriculum shall be completed and

30  made available to all juvenile court judges, court personnel, and

31  service providers and be updated yearly to reflect changes in

32  statutes, court rules, or case law;

33      (15) Develop, in consultation with the entities set forth in

34  RCW 2.56.150(3), a comprehensive statewide curriculum for persons

35  who act as guardians ad litem under Title 13 or 26 RCW.  The

36  curriculum shall be made available July 1, 1997, and include

37  specialty sections on child development, child sexual abuse, child

38  physical abuse, child neglect, clinical and forensic investigative

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_1  and interviewing techniques, family reconciliation and mediation

_2  services, and relevant statutory and legal requirements.  The

_3  curriculum shall be made available to all superior court judges,

_4  court personnel, and all persons who act as guardians ad litem;

_5      (16) Develop a curriculum for a general understanding of crimes

_6  of malicious harassment, as well as specific legal skills and

_7  knowledge of RCW 9A.36.080, relevant cases, court rules, and the

_8  special needs of malicious harassment victims.  This curriculum

_9  shall be made available to all superior court and court of appeals

10  judges and to all justices of the supreme court;

11      (17) Develop, in consultation with the criminal justice

12  training commission and the commissions established under chapters

13  43.113, 43.115, and 43.117 RCW, a curriculum for a general

14  understanding of ethnic and cultural diversity and its

15  implications for working with youth of color and their families.

16  The curriculum shall be available to all superior court judges and

17  court commissioners assigned to juvenile court, and other court

18  personnel.  Ethnic and cultural diversity training shall be provided

19  annually so as to incorporate cultural sensitivity and awareness

20  into the daily operation of juvenile courts statewide;

21      (18) Authorize the use of closed circuit television and other

22  electronic equipment in judicial proceedings.  The administrator

23  shall promulgate necessary standards and procedures and shall

24  provide technical assistance to courts as required;

25      (19) Periodically undertake an assessment of the unmet civil

26  legal needs of low-income people in the state, including the needs

27  of persons who suffer disparate access barriers, and develop a

28  funding plan to meet the civil legal needs of such persons.  The

29  assessment should be conducted in consultation with the Washington

30  state bar association and the access to justice board;

31      (20) Administer state funds as may be appropriated for

32  improving the operation of the courts and provide support for

33  court coordinating councils, under the direction of the board for

34  judicial administration.

     

35      NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  The sum of five hundred thousand dollars,

36  or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the

37  biennium ending June 30, 2003, from the public safety and

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_1  education account to the office of administrator for the courts,

_2  under the direction of the board of judicial administration,

_3  solely for the support of court coordinating council planning

_4  activities.

 

‑‑‑ END ‑‑‑

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