FINAL BILL REPORT

ESSB 5903

PARTIAL VETO

C 378 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Providing additional sentencing alternatives for juvenile offenders.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Children & Family Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Hargrove, Stevens and Carlson).

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services & Corrections

House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Law

House Committee on Appropriations

Background: It has been suggested that county juvenile courts may be in a better position to determine and deliver sentences in some juvenile criminal cases by retaining the juveniles in the community rather than sending them to a state-operated facility. Proposed alternatives in the juvenile criminal sentencing structure have been suggested as a way of more effectively and efficiently delivering services to youth convicted of crimes.

Summary: Two sentencing alternatives are created: a suspended disposition alternative, and a mental health disposition alternative.

Under the suspended disposition alternative the court may impose and suspend a standard range disposition upon the condition that the offender comply with one or more local sanctions.

Under the mental health disposition alternative, the court may suspend a disposition of 15 to 65 weeks on the condition that the offender comply with a court-ordered mental health treatment plan.

A community commitment disposition alternative is created as a pilot project.

No Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) institution can be closed without the specific authorization of the Legislature. In the event that a JRA institution is closed by the Legislature, the property cannot be operated by the Department of Corrections and cannot be used to incarcerate adult offenders.

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy is directed to develop adherence and outcome standards for measuring the effectiveness of treatment programs referred to in the act.

A task force is created for the purpose of examining the coordination of information, education services, and matters of public safety when juvenile offenders are placed into public schools, following their conviction.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       36  11

House       93   4  (House amended)

Senate                   (Senate refused to concur)

House       98   0  (House amended)

Senate       41   7  (Senate concurred)

Effective: July 27, 2003

Partial Veto Summary: The requirement for specific legislation to close a Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) institution is removed, as is the prohibition for operating a closed JRA institution to incarcerate adult offenders.