SB 5903-S.E - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

Provides additional sentencing alternatives for juvenile offenders.

Provides a suspended sentence alternative and a chemical dependency alternative in juvenile punishment provisions.

Declares that, because model adherence and competent delivery of research-based intervention programs is critical for reducing recidivism, the Washington state institute for public policy shall develop adherence and outcome standards for measuring effectiveness of treatment programs referred to in this act. The standards shall be developed and presented to the governor and legislature no later than January 1, 2004. The standards shall include methods for measuring competent delivery of interventions as well as success factors following treatment.

Creates a task force 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.

Requires the task force to identify specific policies and statutory, administrative, and practice processes and barriers that may operate to impede: (1) The identification and delivery of appropriate and coordinated services to juvenile offenders who are placed in, or returned to, public schools following conviction of an offense; and

(2) Transmittal of information regarding juvenile offenders who are returned to, or placed in, public schools following conviction of an offense.

Requires the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the governor, the legislature, and the agencies represented on the task force not later than December 1, 2003.

Provides that the act shall be null and void if appropriations are not approved.

VETO MESSAGE ON SB 5903-S

May 20, 2003

To the Honorable President and Members,

The Senate of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am returning herewith, without my approval as to section 1, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5903 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to juvenile offender sentences;"

This bill creates two new alternative juvenile sentences, and a pilot project for a third sentencing alternative.

Section 1 prohibits the closure of any Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration institution "without specific authorization in an act of the legislature." It further prohibits the use of any such institution, even if closed by the Legislature, by the Department of Corrections or to incarcerate adult offenders. I share these policy goals of not closing state institutions without the Legislature's concurrence, and not converting juvenile facilities into adult prisons. I have not proposed any such closures or conversions.

However, the Legislature has not yet adopted a budget for the next biennium, and there is no assurance that its next budget, or some future budget, will not make it necessary to consider closures as a means of administering programs within available resources. The Legislature creates the programs and provides the resources, but the executive branch must administer them, and should not be prohibited in permanent law from making difficult decisions that may be necessary.

For this reason, I have vetoed section 1 of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5903.

With the exception of section 1, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5903 is approved.

Respectfully submitted,

Gary Locke

Governor