CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SENATE BILL 5392

57th Legislature

2001 Regular Session

Passed by the Senate April 16, 2001

YEAS 47 NAYS 0

President of the Senate

Passed by the House April 4, 2001

YEAS 91 NAYS 2

CERTIFICATE

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 5392 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

Speaker of the

House of Representatives

Secretary

Speaker of the

House of Representatives

Approved

FILED

Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State

State of Washington

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SENATE BILL 5392

_____________________________________________

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

Passed Legislature - 2001 Regular Session

State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session

By Senators Long, Constantine and Kline; by request of Administrator for the Courts

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

AN ACT Relating to emancipation of minors; and amending RCW 13.64.040.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 13.64.040 and 1993 c 294 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The hearing on the petition shall be before a ((~~judge~~)) judicial officer, sitting without a jury. Prior to the presentation of proof the ((~~judge~~)) judicial officer shall determine whether: ((~~(1)~~)) (a) The petitioning minor understands the consequences of the petition regarding his or her legal rights and responsibilities; ((~~(2)~~)) (b) a guardian ad litem should be appointed to investigate the allegations of the petition and file a report with the court.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the term "judicial officer" means: (a) A judge; (b) a superior court commissioner of a unified family court if the county operates a unified family court; or (c) any superior court commissioner if the county does not operate a unified family court. The term does not include a judge pro tempore.