FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 5758

C 53 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Reorganizing criminal statutes within the RCW.

Sponsors: Senators Stevens, Hargrove and Kline.

Senate Committee on Judiciary

House Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections

Background: The criminal justice system relies on the accuracy and integrity of criminal history records. The information is shared by law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, courts, the Department of Corrections, the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the Caseload Forecast Council, and many other state and local entities. The state's Judicial Information Network is in the process of automating systems that allow for the electronic transfer of this information. To allow for the unambiguous identification and citation of offenses, some statutes need to be reorganized and restructured.

Summary: The purely technical changes do two things: (1) clearly identify each offense as a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or class A, B, or C, felony, and (2) provide that each criminal penalty provision is in a separate subsection that can be uniquely cited.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       48  0

House       95  0

Effective: July 1, 2004