Title: An act relating to a record check of a metropolitan park district's job applicants, volunteers, and independent contractors.

Brief Description: Concerning background checks of metropolitan park district employees.

Sponsors: By Representatives Darneille, Walsh, Springer and Simpson.

Brief History:

Local Government: 1/23/06, 1/30/06 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/8/06, 97-1.
Senate Amended.
Passed Senate: 3/3/06, 47-0.
House Concurred.
Passed House: 3/6/06, 96-1.
Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Simpson, Chair; Clibborn, Vice Chair; Schindler, Ranking Minority Member; Ahern, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; B. Sullivan, Takko and Woods.

Staff: Stephanie Toby (786-7106).

Background:

A metropolitan park district manages, controls, improves, maintains, and acquires parks, parkways, boulevards, and recreational facilities. The board of park commissioners consists of five members who have a variety of powers to manage the district.

In 1987, the Legislature authorized the Washington State Patrol Criminal Identification System (WSPCIS) to provide background information on prospective employees and volunteers to businesses and organizations that provide services to children or developmentally disabled persons.

Local criminal justice agencies are required by law to submit felony and gross misdemeanor arrest and disposition information to the Washington State Patrol, where it is included in a Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) data base. The CHRI repository includes information on arrests, detentions, other formal criminal charges, and any disposition arising from those charges, including sentences and release.

Summary of Bill:

Metropolitan park districts must establish by resolution the requirements for a criminal history record check of all employees, volunteers, and independent contractors who will either have access to children or vulnerable adults while unsupervised, or who will be responsible for monetary transactions. The background checks will be processed through the WSPCIS, as provided for in statute, and through the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. The background checks must include a fingerprint check using a complete Washington criminal identification fingerprint card. Park districts are required to provide a copy of the record report to the employee, volunteer, or independent contractor (employee). Park districts may determine that it is necessary to employ someone on a conditional basis while the investigation is being conducted, may decide to waive the background check if the prospective employee has had a record check within the past year, and may require that the prospective employee pay for the record check.

The term "park policemen" is changed to "park police."

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: It is important to protect vulnerable adults and children. House Bill 1313 mirrors this bill by allowing state parks to do background checks, and it passed the House of Representatives and Senate without any no votes. Metropolitan Park Districts would like the same authority. The Washington State Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation were consulted and said the bill met their concerns.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: T.K. Bentley, Metro Parks Tacoma.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.