CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

                        SENATE BILL 6293

                    Chapter 59, Laws of 2002

                        57th Legislature

                      2002 Regular Session

COURTS OF LIMITED JURISDICTION--VENUE

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  6/13/02

Passed by the Senate February 13, 2002   YEAS 47   NAYS 0                BRAD OWEN President of the Senate Passed by the House March 6, 2002   YEAS 93   NAYS 0

CERTIFICATE I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is  SENATE BILL 6293 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

FRANK CHOPP Speaker of the       House of Representatives

TONY M. COOK                             Secretary

Approved March 21, 2002 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

FILED                      March 21, 2002 - 2:07 p.m.

GARY LOCKE Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State                  State of Washington

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                         SENATE BILL 6293

          _______________________________________________

             Passed Legislature - 2002 Regular Session

State of Washington   57th Legislature        2002 Regular Session

By Senators Kline and Johnson

Read first time 01/14/2002.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Hearing certain criminal actions by video or other electronic means. 

    AN ACT Relating to venue for courts of limited jurisdiction; and amending RCW 3.66.070.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 3.66.070 and 2001 c 15 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) All criminal actions shall be brought in the district where the alleged violation occurred:  PROVIDED, That (a) the prosecuting attorney may file felony cases in the district in which the county seat is located, (b) with the consent of the defendant criminal actions other than those arising out of violations of city ordinances may be brought in or transferred to the district in which the county seat is located, (c) if the alleged violation relates to driving, or being in actual physical control of, a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug and the alleged violation occurred within a judicial district which has been designated an enhanced enforcement district under RCW 2.56.110, the charges may be filed in that district or in a district within the same county which is adjacent to the district in which the alleged violation occurred, and (d) a district court participating in the program established by the office of the administrator for the courts pursuant to RCW 2.56.160 shall have jurisdiction to take recognizance, approve bail, and arraign defendants held within its jurisdiction on warrants issued by any other court of limited jurisdiction participating in the program.

    (2) In the event of an emergency created by act of nature, civil unrest, technological failure, or other hazardous condition, temporary venue for court of limited jurisdiction matters may be had in a court district not impacted by the emergency.  Such emergency venue is appropriate only for the duration of the emergency.

    (3) A criminal action commenced under a local ordinance or state statute is deemed to be properly heard by the court of original jurisdiction even though the hearing may take place by video or other electronic means as approved by the supreme court and the defendant is appearing by an electronic method from a location outside the court's geographic jurisdiction or boundaries.

    Passed the Senate February 13, 2002.

    Passed the House March 6, 2002.

Approved by the Governor March 21, 2002.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 21, 2002.