S-1677.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6084

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senator Gardner

Read first time 02/20/2001.  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions.

Providing weapons and training for liquor enforcement officers.

    AN ACT Relating to providing weapons and training for liquor enforcement officers; amending RCW 66.44.010; and adding a new section to chapter 66.44 RCW.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 66.44.010 and 1998 c 18 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) All county and municipal peace officers are hereby charged with the duty of investigating and prosecuting all violations of this title, and the penal laws of this state relating to the manufacture, importation, transportation, possession, distribution and sale of liquor, and all fines imposed for violations of this title and the penal laws of this state relating to the manufacture, importation, transportation, possession, distribution and sale of liquor shall belong to the county, city or town wherein the court imposing the fine is located, and shall be placed in the general fund for payment of the salaries of those engaged in the enforcement of the provisions of this title and the penal laws of this state relating to the manufacture, importation, transportation, possession, distribution and sale of liquor:  PROVIDED, That all fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties collected or assessed by a district court because of the violation of a state law shall be remitted as provided in chapter 3.62 RCW as now exists or is later amended.

    (2) In addition to any and all other powers granted, the board shall have the power to enforce the penal provisions of this title and the penal laws of this state relating to the manufacture, importation, transportation, possession, distribution and sale of liquor.

    (3) In addition to the other duties under this section, the board shall enforce chapters 82.24 and 82.26 RCW.

    (4) The board may appoint and employ, assign to duty and fix the compensation of, officers to be designated as liquor enforcement officers.  Such liquor enforcement officers shall have the power, under the supervision of the board, to enforce the penal provisions of this title and the penal laws of this state relating to the manufacture, importation, transportation, possession, distribution and sale of liquor.  They shall have the power and authority to serve and execute all warrants and process of law issued by the courts in enforcing the penal provisions of this title or of any penal law of this state relating to the manufacture, importation, transportation, possession, distribution and sale of liquor, and the provisions of chapters 82.24 and 82.26 RCW.  They shall have the power to arrest without a warrant any person or persons found in the act of violating any of the penal provisions of this title or of any penal law of this state relating to the manufacture, importation, transportation, possession, distribution and sale of liquor, and the provisions of chapters 82.24 and 82.26 RCW.

(5) The basic law enforcement training provided by the criminal justice training commission shall be made available to liquor enforcement officers.  Participation in this course is optional and voluntary on the part of liquor enforcement officers employed on or after the effective date of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 66.44 RCW to read as follows:

    Liquor enforcement officers who are required to carry firearms or other weapons in the course of their duties shall be issued those weapons by the board at no expense to individual liquor enforcement officers.  Weapons issued by the board under this section may only be used by the liquor enforcement officer to whom they are issued while on duty.

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