BILL REQ. #:  H-1835.2 

READ FIRST TIME 02/24/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to protecting communities from sex offenders through the establishment of community protection zones; amending RCW 9.94A.030, 9.94A.712, and 72.09.340; and adding a new section to chapter 9.94A RCW.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 9.94A.030 and 2003 c 53 s 55 are each amended to read as follows:
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
     (1) "Board" means the indeterminate sentence review board created under chapter 9.95 RCW.
     (2) "Collect," or any derivative thereof, "collect and remit," or "collect and deliver," when used with reference to the department, means that the department, either directly or through a collection agreement authorized by RCW 9.94A.760, is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the offender's sentence with regard to the legal financial obligation, receiving payment thereof from the offender, and, consistent with current law, delivering daily the entire payment to the superior court clerk without depositing it in a departmental account.
     (3) "Commission" means the sentencing guidelines commission.
     (4) "Community corrections officer" means an employee of the department who is responsible for carrying out specific duties in supervision of sentenced offenders and monitoring of sentence conditions.
     (5) "Community custody" means that portion of an offender's sentence of confinement in lieu of earned release time or imposed pursuant to RCW 9.94A.505(2)(b), 9.94A.650 through 9.94A.670, 9.94A.690, 9.94A.700 through 9.94A.715, or 9.94A.545, served in the community subject to controls placed on the offender's movement and activities by the department. For offenders placed on community custody for crimes committed on or after July 1, 2000, the department shall assess the offender's risk of reoffense and may establish and modify conditions of community custody, in addition to those imposed by the court, based upon the risk to community safety.
     (6) "Community custody range" means the minimum and maximum period of community custody included as part of a sentence under RCW 9.94A.715, as established by the commission or the legislature under RCW 9.94A.850, for crimes committed on or after July 1, 2000.
     (7) "Community placement" means that period during which the offender is subject to the conditions of community custody and/or postrelease supervision, which begins either upon completion of the term of confinement (postrelease supervision) or at such time as the offender is transferred to community custody in lieu of earned release. Community placement may consist of entirely community custody, entirely postrelease supervision, or a combination of the two.
     (8) "Community protection zone" means the area within eight hundred eighty feet of the facilities and grounds of a public or private school.
     (9) "Community restitution" means compulsory service, without compensation, performed for the benefit of the community by the offender.
     (((9))) (10) "Community supervision" means a period of time during which a convicted offender is subject to crime-related prohibitions and other sentence conditions imposed by a court pursuant to this chapter or RCW 16.52.200(6) or 46.61.524. Where the court finds that any offender has a chemical dependency that has contributed to his or her offense, the conditions of supervision may, subject to available resources, include treatment. For purposes of the interstate compact for out-of-state supervision of parolees and probationers, RCW 9.95.270, community supervision is the functional equivalent of probation and should be considered the same as probation by other states.
     (((10))) (11) "Confinement" means total or partial confinement.
     (((11))) (12) "Conviction" means an adjudication of guilt pursuant to Titles 10 or 13 RCW and includes a verdict of guilty, a finding of guilty, and acceptance of a plea of guilty.
     (((12))) (13) "Crime-related prohibition" means an order of a court prohibiting conduct that directly relates to the circumstances of the crime for which the offender has been convicted, and shall not be construed to mean orders directing an offender affirmatively to participate in rehabilitative programs or to otherwise perform affirmative conduct. However, affirmative acts necessary to monitor compliance with the order of a court may be required by the department.
     (((13))) (14) "Criminal history" means the list of a defendant's prior convictions and juvenile adjudications, whether in this state, in federal court, or elsewhere.
     (a) The history shall include, where known, for each conviction (i) whether the defendant has been placed on probation and the length and terms thereof; and (ii) whether the defendant has been incarcerated and the length of incarceration.
     (b) A conviction may be removed from a defendant's criminal history only if it is vacated pursuant to RCW 9.96.060, 9.94A.640, 9.95.240, or a similar out-of-state statute, or if the conviction has been vacated pursuant to a governor's pardon.
     (c) The determination of a defendant's criminal history is distinct from the determination of an offender score. A prior conviction that was not included in an offender score calculated pursuant to a former version of the sentencing reform act remains part of the defendant's criminal history.
     (((14))) (15) "Day fine" means a fine imposed by the sentencing court that equals the difference between the offender's net daily income and the reasonable obligations that the offender has for the support of the offender and any dependents.
     (((15))) (16) "Day reporting" means a program of enhanced supervision designed to monitor the offender's daily activities and compliance with sentence conditions, and in which the offender is required to report daily to a specific location designated by the department or the sentencing court.
     (((16))) (17) "Department" means the department of corrections.
     (((17))) (18) "Determinate sentence" means a sentence that states with exactitude the number of actual years, months, or days of total confinement, of partial confinement, of community supervision, the number of actual hours or days of community restitution work, or dollars or terms of a legal financial obligation. The fact that an offender through earned release can reduce the actual period of confinement shall not affect the classification of the sentence as a determinate sentence.
     (((18))) (19) "Disposable earnings" means that part of the earnings of an offender remaining after the deduction from those earnings of any amount required by law to be withheld. For the purposes of this definition, "earnings" means compensation paid or payable for personal services, whether denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonuses, or otherwise, and, notwithstanding any other provision of law making the payments exempt from garnishment, attachment, or other process to satisfy a court-ordered legal financial obligation, specifically includes periodic payments pursuant to pension or retirement programs, or insurance policies of any type, but does not include payments made under Title 50 RCW, except as provided in RCW 50.40.020 and 50.40.050, or Title 74 RCW.
     (((19))) (20) "Drug offender sentencing alternative" is a sentencing option available to persons convicted of a felony offense other than a violent offense or a sex offense and who are eligible for the option under RCW 9.94A.660.
     (((20))) (21) "Drug offense" means:
     (a) Any felony violation of chapter 69.50 RCW except possession of a controlled substance (RCW 69.50.4013) or forged prescription for a controlled substance (RCW 69.50.403);
     (b) Any offense defined as a felony under federal law that relates to the possession, manufacture, distribution, or transportation of a controlled substance; or
     (c) Any out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as a drug offense under (a) of this subsection.
     (((21))) (22) "Earned release" means earned release from confinement as provided in RCW 9.94A.728.
     (((22))) (23) "Escape" means:
     (a) Sexually violent predator escape (RCW 9A.76.115), escape in the first degree (RCW 9A.76.110), escape in the second degree (RCW 9A.76.120), willful failure to return from furlough (RCW 72.66.060), willful failure to return from work release (RCW 72.65.070), or willful failure to be available for supervision by the department while in community custody (RCW 72.09.310); or
     (b) Any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as an escape under (a) of this subsection.
     (((23))) (24) "Felony traffic offense" means:
     (a) Vehicular homicide (RCW 46.61.520), vehicular assault (RCW 46.61.522), eluding a police officer (RCW 46.61.024), or felony hit-and-run injury-accident (RCW 46.52.020(4)); or
     (b) Any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as a felony traffic offense under (a) of this subsection.
     (((24))) (25) "Fine" means a specific sum of money ordered by the sentencing court to be paid by the offender to the court over a specific period of time.
     (((25))) (26) "First-time offender" means any person who has no prior convictions for a felony and is eligible for the first-time offender waiver under RCW 9.94A.650.
     (((26))) (27) "Home detention" means a program of partial confinement available to offenders wherein the offender is confined in a private residence subject to electronic surveillance.
     (((27))) (28) "Legal financial obligation" means a sum of money that is ordered by a superior court of the state of Washington for legal financial obligations which may include restitution to the victim, statutorily imposed crime victims' compensation fees as assessed pursuant to RCW 7.68.035, court costs, county or interlocal drug funds, court-appointed attorneys' fees, and costs of defense, fines, and any other financial obligation that is assessed to the offender as a result of a felony conviction. Upon conviction for vehicular assault while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, RCW 46.61.522(1)(b), or vehicular homicide while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, RCW 46.61.520(1)(a), legal financial obligations may also include payment to a public agency of the expense of an emergency response to the incident resulting in the conviction, subject to RCW 38.52.430.
     (((28))) (29) "Most serious offense" means any of the following felonies or a felony attempt to commit any of the following felonies:
     (a) Any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or criminal solicitation of or criminal conspiracy to commit a class A felony;
     (b) Assault in the second degree;
     (c) Assault of a child in the second degree;
     (d) Child molestation in the second degree;
     (e) Controlled substance homicide;
     (f) Extortion in the first degree;
     (g) Incest when committed against a child under age fourteen;
     (h) Indecent liberties;
     (i) Kidnapping in the second degree;
     (j) Leading organized crime;
     (k) Manslaughter in the first degree;
     (l) Manslaughter in the second degree;
     (m) Promoting prostitution in the first degree;
     (n) Rape in the third degree;
     (o) Robbery in the second degree;
     (p) Sexual exploitation;
     (q) Vehicular assault, when caused by the operation or driving of a vehicle by a person while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or by the operation or driving of a vehicle in a reckless manner;
     (r) Vehicular homicide, when proximately caused by the driving of any vehicle by any person while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug as defined by RCW 46.61.502, or by the operation of any vehicle in a reckless manner;
     (s) Any other class B felony offense with a finding of sexual motivation;
     (t) Any other felony with a deadly weapon verdict under RCW 9.94A.602;
     (u) Any felony offense in effect at any time prior to December 2, 1993, that is comparable to a most serious offense under this subsection, or any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as a most serious offense under this subsection;
     (v)(i) A prior conviction for indecent liberties under RCW 9A.88.100(1) (a), (b), and (c), chapter 260, Laws of 1975 1st ex. sess. as it existed until July 1, 1979, RCW 9A.44.100(1) (a), (b), and (c) as it existed from July 1, 1979, until June 11, 1986, and RCW 9A.44.100(1) (a), (b), and (d) as it existed from June 11, 1986, until July 1, 1988;
     (ii) A prior conviction for indecent liberties under RCW 9A.44.100(1)(c) as it existed from June 11, 1986, until July 1, 1988, if: (A) The crime was committed against a child under the age of fourteen; or (B) the relationship between the victim and perpetrator is included in the definition of indecent liberties under RCW 9A.44.100(1)(c) as it existed from July 1, 1988, through July 27, 1997, or RCW 9A.44.100(1) (d) or (e) as it existed from July 25, 1993, through July 27, 1997.
     (((29))) (30) "Nonviolent offense" means an offense which is not a violent offense.
     (((30))) (31) "Offender" means a person who has committed a felony established by state law and is eighteen years of age or older or is less than eighteen years of age but whose case is under superior court jurisdiction under RCW 13.04.030 or has been transferred by the appropriate juvenile court to a criminal court pursuant to RCW 13.40.110. Throughout this chapter, the terms "offender" and "defendant" are used interchangeably.
     (((31))) (32) "Partial confinement" means confinement for no more than one year in a facility or institution operated or utilized under contract by the state or any other unit of government, or, if home detention or work crew has been ordered by the court, in an approved residence, for a substantial portion of each day with the balance of the day spent in the community. Partial confinement includes work release, home detention, work crew, and a combination of work crew and home detention.
     (((32))) (33) "Persistent offender" is an offender who:
     (a)(i) Has been convicted in this state of any felony considered a most serious offense; and
     (ii) Has, before the commission of the offense under (a) of this subsection, been convicted as an offender on at least two separate occasions, whether in this state or elsewhere, of felonies that under the laws of this state would be considered most serious offenses and would be included in the offender score under RCW 9.94A.525; provided that of the two or more previous convictions, at least one conviction must have occurred before the commission of any of the other most serious offenses for which the offender was previously convicted; or
     (b)(i) Has been convicted of: (A) Rape in the first degree, rape of a child in the first degree, child molestation in the first degree, rape in the second degree, rape of a child in the second degree, or indecent liberties by forcible compulsion; (B) any of the following offenses with a finding of sexual motivation: Murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, homicide by abuse, kidnapping in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, assault of a child in the first degree, or burglary in the first degree; or (C) an attempt to commit any crime listed in this subsection (((32))) (33)(b)(i); and
     (ii) Has, before the commission of the offense under (b)(i) of this subsection, been convicted as an offender on at least one occasion, whether in this state or elsewhere, of an offense listed in (b)(i) of this subsection or any federal or out-of-state offense or offense under prior Washington law that is comparable to the offenses listed in (b)(i) of this subsection. A conviction for rape of a child in the first degree constitutes a conviction under (b)(i) of this subsection only when the offender was sixteen years of age or older when the offender committed the offense. A conviction for rape of a child in the second degree constitutes a conviction under (b)(i) of this subsection only when the offender was eighteen years of age or older when the offender committed the offense.
     (((33))) (34) "Postrelease supervision" is that portion of an offender's community placement that is not community custody.
     (((34))) (35) "Private school" means a school regulated under chapter 28A.195 or 28A.205 RCW.
     (36) "Public school" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.150.010.
     (37) "Restitution" means a specific sum of money ordered by the sentencing court to be paid by the offender to the court over a specified period of time as payment of damages. The sum may include both public and private costs.
     (((35))) (38) "Risk assessment" means the application of an objective instrument supported by research and adopted by the department for the purpose of assessing an offender's risk of reoffense, taking into consideration the nature of the harm done by the offender, place and circumstances of the offender related to risk, the offender's relationship to any victim, and any information provided to the department by victims. The results of a risk assessment shall not be based on unconfirmed or unconfirmable allegations.
     (((36))) (39) "Serious traffic offense" means:
     (a) Driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug (RCW 46.61.502), actual physical control while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug (RCW 46.61.504), reckless driving (RCW 46.61.500), or hit-and-run an attended vehicle (RCW 46.52.020(5)); or
     (b) Any federal, out-of-state, county, or municipal conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be classified as a serious traffic offense under (a) of this subsection.
     (((37))) (40) "Serious violent offense" is a subcategory of violent offense and means:
     (a)(i) Murder in the first degree;
     (ii) Homicide by abuse;
     (iii) Murder in the second degree;
     (iv) Manslaughter in the first degree;
     (v) Assault in the first degree;
     (vi) Kidnapping in the first degree;
     (vii) Rape in the first degree;
     (viii) Assault of a child in the first degree; or
     (ix) An attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy to commit one of these felonies; or
     (b) Any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as a serious violent offense under (a) of this subsection.
     (((38))) (41) "Sex offense" means:
     (a)(i) A felony that is a violation of chapter 9A.44 RCW other than RCW 9A.44.130(11);
     (ii) A violation of RCW 9A.64.020;
     (iii) A felony that is a violation of chapter 9.68A RCW other than RCW 9.68A.070 or 9.68A.080; or
     (iv) A felony that is, under chapter 9A.28 RCW, a criminal attempt, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy to commit such crimes;
     (b) Any conviction for a felony offense in effect at any time prior to July 1, 1976, that is comparable to a felony classified as a sex offense in (a) of this subsection;
     (c) A felony with a finding of sexual motivation under RCW 9.94A.835 or 13.40.135; or
     (d) Any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as a sex offense under (a) of this subsection.
     (((39))) (42) "Sexual motivation" means that one of the purposes for which the defendant committed the crime was for the purpose of his or her sexual gratification.
     (((40))) (43) "Standard sentence range" means the sentencing court's discretionary range in imposing a nonappealable sentence.
     (((41))) (44) "Statutory maximum sentence" means the maximum length of time for which an offender may be confined as punishment for a crime as prescribed in chapter 9A.20 RCW, RCW 9.92.010, the statute defining the crime, or other statute defining the maximum penalty for a crime.
     (((42))) (45) "Total confinement" means confinement inside the physical boundaries of a facility or institution operated or utilized under contract by the state or any other unit of government for twenty-four hours a day, or pursuant to RCW 72.64.050 and 72.64.060.
     (((43))) (46) "Transition training" means written and verbal instructions and assistance provided by the department to the offender during the two weeks prior to the offender's successful completion of the work ethic camp program. The transition training shall include instructions in the offender's requirements and obligations during the offender's period of community custody.
     (((44))) (47) "Victim" means any person who has sustained emotional, psychological, physical, or financial injury to person or property as a direct result of the crime charged.
     (((45))) (48) "Violent offense" means:
     (a) Any of the following felonies:
     (i) Any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or an attempt to commit a class A felony;
     (ii) Criminal solicitation of or criminal conspiracy to commit a class A felony;
     (iii) Manslaughter in the first degree;
     (iv) Manslaughter in the second degree;
     (v) Indecent liberties if committed by forcible compulsion;
     (vi) Kidnapping in the second degree;
     (vii) Arson in the second degree;
     (viii) Assault in the second degree;
     (ix) Assault of a child in the second degree;
     (x) Extortion in the first degree;
     (xi) Robbery in the second degree;
     (xii) Drive-by shooting;
     (xiii) Vehicular assault, when caused by the operation or driving of a vehicle by a person while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or by the operation or driving of a vehicle in a reckless manner; and
     (xiv) Vehicular homicide, when proximately caused by the driving of any vehicle by any person while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug as defined by RCW 46.61.502, or by the operation of any vehicle in a reckless manner;
     (b) Any conviction for a felony offense in effect at any time prior to July 1, 1976, that is comparable to a felony classified as a violent offense in (a) of this subsection; and
     (c) Any federal or out-of-state conviction for an offense that under the laws of this state would be a felony classified as a violent offense under (a) or (b) of this subsection.
     (((46))) (49) "Work crew" means a program of partial confinement consisting of civic improvement tasks for the benefit of the community that complies with RCW 9.94A.725.
     (((47))) (50) "Work ethic camp" means an alternative incarceration program as provided in RCW 9.94A.690 designed to reduce recidivism and lower the cost of corrections by requiring offenders to complete a comprehensive array of real-world job and vocational experiences, character-building work ethics training, life management skills development, substance abuse rehabilitation, counseling, literacy training, and basic adult education.
     (((48))) (51) "Work release" means a program of partial confinement available to offenders who are employed or engaged as a student in a regular course of study at school.

Sec. 2   RCW 9.94A.712 and 2004 c 176 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) An offender who is not a persistent offender shall be sentenced under this section if the offender:
     (a) Is convicted of:
     (i) Rape in the first degree, rape in the second degree, rape of a child in the first degree, child molestation in the first degree, rape of a child in the second degree, or indecent liberties by forcible compulsion;
     (ii) Any of the following offenses with a finding of sexual motivation: Murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, homicide by abuse, kidnapping in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, assault of a child in the first degree, or burglary in the first degree; or
     (iii) An attempt to commit any crime listed in this subsection (1)(a);
committed on or after September 1, 2001; or
     (b) Has a prior conviction for an offense listed in RCW 9.94A.030(((32))) (33)(b), and is convicted of any sex offense which was committed after September 1, 2001.
     For purposes of this subsection (1)(b), failure to register is not a sex offense.
     (2) An offender convicted of rape of a child in the first or second degree or child molestation in the first degree who was seventeen years of age or younger at the time of the offense shall not be sentenced under this section.
     (3) Upon a finding that the offender is subject to sentencing under this section, the court shall impose a sentence to a maximum term consisting of the statutory maximum sentence for the offense and a minimum term either within the standard sentence range for the offense, or outside the standard sentence range pursuant to RCW 9.94A.535, if the offender is otherwise eligible for such a sentence.
     (4) A person sentenced under subsection (3) of this section shall serve the sentence in a facility or institution operated, or utilized under contract, by the state.
     (5) When a court sentences a person to the custody of the department under this section, the court shall, in addition to the other terms of the sentence, sentence the offender to community custody under the supervision of the department and the authority of the board for any period of time the person is released from total confinement before the expiration of the maximum sentence.
     (6)(a)(i) Unless a condition is waived by the court, the conditions of community custody shall include those provided for in RCW 9.94A.700(4). The conditions may also include those provided for in RCW 9.94A.700(5). The court may also order the offender to participate in rehabilitative programs or otherwise perform affirmative conduct reasonably related to the circumstances of the offense, the offender's risk of reoffending, or the safety of the community, and the department and the board shall enforce such conditions pursuant to RCW 9.94A.713, 9.95.425, and 9.95.430.
     (ii) If the offense that caused the offender to be sentenced under this section was an offense listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section and the victim of the offense was under eighteen years of age at the time of the offense, the court shall, as a condition of community custody, prohibit the offender from residing in a community protection zone.
     (b) As part of any sentence under this section, the court shall also require the offender to comply with any conditions imposed by the board under RCW 9.94A.713 and 9.95.420 through 9.95.435.

Sec. 3   RCW 72.09.340 and 1996 c 215 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) In making all discretionary decisions regarding release plans for and supervision of sex offenders, the department shall set priorities and make decisions based on an assessment of public safety risks.
     (2) The department shall, no later than September 1, 1996, implement a policy governing the department's evaluation and approval of release plans for sex offenders. The policy shall include, at a minimum, a formal process by which victims, witnesses, and other interested people may provide information and comments to the department on potential safety risks to specific individuals or classes of individuals posed by a specific sex offender. The department shall make all reasonable efforts to publicize the availability of this process through currently existing mechanisms and shall seek the assistance of courts, prosecutors, law enforcement, and victims' advocacy groups in doing so. Notice of an offender's proposed residence shall be provided to all people registered to receive notice of an offender's release under RCW 9.94A.612(2), except that in no case may this notification requirement be construed to require an extension of an offender's release date.
     (3)(a) For any offender convicted of a felony sex offense against a minor victim after June 6, 1996, the department shall not approve a residence location if the proposed residence: (((a))) (i) Includes a minor victim or child of similar age or circumstance as a previous victim who the department determines may be put at substantial risk of harm by the offender's residence in the household; or (((b))) (ii) is within close proximity of the current residence of a minor victim, unless the whereabouts of the minor victim cannot be determined or unless such a restriction would impede family reunification efforts ordered by the court or directed by the department of social and health services. The department ((is further authorized to)) shall reject a residence location if the proposed residence is within ((close proximity to)) eight hundred eighty feet of schools, child care centers, playgrounds, or other grounds or facilities where children of similar age or circumstance as a previous victim are present who the department determines may be put at substantial risk of harm by the sex offender's residence at that location.
     (b) In addition, for any offender prohibited from living in a community protection zone under RCW 9.94A.712(6)(a)(ii), the department may not approve a residence location if the proposed residence is in a community protection zone.
     (4) When the department requires supervised visitation as a term or condition of a sex offender's community placement under RCW 9.94A.700(6), the department shall, prior to approving a supervisor, consider the following:
     (a) The relationships between the proposed supervisor, the offender, and the minor; (b) the proposed supervisor's acknowledgment and understanding of the offender's prior criminal conduct, general knowledge of the dynamics of child sexual abuse, and willingness and ability to protect the minor from the potential risks posed by contact with the offender; and (c) recommendations made by the department of social and health services about the best interests of the child.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 9.94A RCW to read as follows:
     Law enforcement agencies and the department of corrections are immune from civil liability for damages from discretionary decisions made under this act if they make a good faith effort to comply with this act.