READ FIRST TIME 1/31/06.   

     AN ACT Relating to protecting confidentiality of domestic violence information; amending RCW 5.60.060, 70.123.040, and 74.04.060; adding a new section to chapter 70.123 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature intends, by amending RCW 5.60.060, to recognize that advocates help domestic violence victims by giving them the support and counseling they need to recover from their abuse, and by providing resources to achieve protection from further abuse. Without assurance that communications made with a domestic violence advocate will be confidential and protected from disclosure, victims will be deterred from confiding openly or seeking information and counseling, resulting in a failure to receive vital advocacy and support needed for recovery and protection from abuse. But investigative or prosecutorial functions performed by individuals who assist victims in the criminal legal system and in other state agencies are different from the advocacy and counseling functions performed by advocates who work under the auspices or supervision of a community victim services program. The legislature recognizes the important role played by individuals who assist victims in the criminal legal system and in other state agencies, but intends that the testimonial privilege not be extended to individuals who perform an investigative or prosecutorial function.

Sec. 2   RCW 5.60.060 and 2005 c 504 s 705 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A husband shall not be examined for or against his wife, without the consent of the wife, nor a wife for or against her husband without the consent of the husband; nor can either during marriage or afterward, be without the consent of the other, examined as to any communication made by one to the other during marriage. But this exception shall not apply to a civil action or proceeding by one against the other, nor to a criminal action or proceeding for a crime committed by one against the other, nor to a criminal action or proceeding against a spouse if the marriage occurred subsequent to the filing of formal charges against the defendant, nor to a criminal action or proceeding for a crime committed by said husband or wife against any child of whom said husband or wife is the parent or guardian, nor to a proceeding under chapter 70.96A, 70.96B, 71.05, or 71.09 RCW: PROVIDED, That the spouse of a person sought to be detained under chapter 70.96A, 70.96B, 71.05, or 71.09 RCW may not be compelled to testify and shall be so informed by the court prior to being called as a witness.
     (2)(a) An attorney or counselor shall not, without the consent of his or her client, be examined as to any communication made by the client to him or her, or his or her advice given thereon in the course of professional employment.
     (b) A parent or guardian of a minor child arrested on a criminal charge may not be examined as to a communication between the child and his or her attorney if the communication was made in the presence of the parent or guardian. This privilege does not extend to communications made prior to the arrest.
     (3) A member of the clergy or a priest shall not, without the consent of a person making the confession, be examined as to any confession made to him or her in his or her professional character, in the course of discipline enjoined by the church to which he or she belongs.
     (4) Subject to the limitations under RCW 70.96A.140 or 71.05.360 (8) and (9), a physician or surgeon or osteopathic physician or surgeon or podiatric physician or surgeon shall not, without the consent of his or her patient, be examined in a civil action as to any information acquired in attending such patient, which was necessary to enable him or her to prescribe or act for the patient, except as follows:
     (a) In any judicial proceedings regarding a child's injury, neglect, or sexual abuse or the cause thereof; and
     (b) Ninety days after filing an action for personal injuries or wrongful death, the claimant shall be deemed to waive the physician-patient privilege. Waiver of the physician-patient privilege for any one physician or condition constitutes a waiver of the privilege as to all physicians or conditions, subject to such limitations as a court may impose pursuant to court rules.
     (5) A public officer shall not be examined as a witness as to communications made to him or her in official confidence, when the public interest would suffer by the disclosure.
     (6)(a) A peer support group counselor shall not, without consent of the law enforcement officer making the communication, be compelled to testify about any communication made to the counselor by the officer while receiving counseling. The counselor must be designated as such by the sheriff, police chief, or chief of the Washington state patrol, prior to the incident that results in counseling. The privilege only applies when the communication was made to the counselor while acting in his or her capacity as a peer support group counselor. The privilege does not apply if the counselor was an initial responding officer, a witness, or a party to the incident which prompted the delivery of peer support group counseling services to the law enforcement officer.
     (b) For purposes of this section, "peer support group counselor" means a:
     (i) Law enforcement officer, or civilian employee of a law enforcement agency, who has received training to provide emotional and moral support and counseling to an officer who needs those services as a result of an incident in which the officer was involved while acting in his or her official capacity; or
     (ii) Nonemployee counselor who has been designated by the sheriff, police chief, or chief of the Washington state patrol to provide emotional and moral support and counseling to an officer who needs those services as a result of an incident in which the officer was involved while acting in his or her official capacity.
     (7) A sexual assault advocate may not, without the consent of the victim, be examined as to any communication made by the victim to the sexual assault advocate.
     (a) For purposes of this section, "sexual assault advocate" means the employee or volunteer from a rape crisis center, victim assistance unit, program, or association, that provides information, medical or legal advocacy, counseling, or support to victims of sexual assault, who is designated by the victim to accompany the victim to the hospital or other health care facility and to proceedings concerning the alleged assault, including police and prosecution interviews and court proceedings.
     (b) A sexual assault advocate may disclose a confidential communication without the consent of the victim if failure to disclose is likely to result in a clear, imminent risk of serious physical injury or death of the victim or another person. Any sexual assault advocate participating in good faith in the disclosing of records and communications under this section shall have immunity from any liability, civil, criminal, or otherwise, that might result from the action. In any proceeding, civil or criminal, arising out of a disclosure under this section, the good faith of the sexual assault advocate who disclosed the confidential communication shall be presumed.
     (8) A domestic violence advocate may not, without the consent of the victim, be examined as to any communication between the victim and the domestic violence advocate.
     (a) For purposes of this section, "domestic violence advocate" means an employee or supervised volunteer from a community-based domestic violence program or human services program that provides information, advocacy, counseling, crisis intervention, emergency shelter, or support to victims of domestic violence and who is not employed by, or under the direct supervision of, a law enforcement agency, a prosecutor's office, or the child protective services section of the department of social and health services as defined in RCW 26.44.020.
     (b) A domestic violence advocate may disclose a confidential communication without the consent of the victim if failure to disclose is likely to result in a clear, imminent risk of serious physical injury or death of the victim or another person. This section does not relieve a domestic violence advocate from the requirement to report or cause to be reported an incident under RCW 26.44.030(1) or to disclose relevant records relating to a child as required by RCW 26.44.030(11). Any domestic violence advocate participating in good faith in the disclosing of communications under this subsection is immune from liability, civil, criminal, or otherwise, that might result from the action. In any proceeding, civil or criminal, arising out of a disclosure under this subsection, the good faith of the domestic violence advocate who disclosed the confidential communication shall be presumed.

Sec. 3   RCW 70.123.040 and 1979 ex.s. c 245 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Minimum standards established by the department under RCW 70.123.030 shall ensure that shelters receiving grants under this chapter provide services meeting basic survival needs, where not provided by other means, such as, but not limited to, food, clothing, housing, safety, security, client advocacy, client confidentiality, and counseling. These services shall be problem-oriented and designed to provide necessary assistance to the victims of domestic violence and their children.
     (2) The department shall establish minimum standards that ensure that nonshelter community-based services for victims of domestic violence funded under RCW 70.123.150 provide services designed to enhance safety and security by means such as, but not limited to, client advocacy, client confidentiality, and counseling.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 70.123 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Except as authorized in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, or pursuant to court order under RCW 70.123.075, a domestic violence program, an individual who assists a domestic violence program in the delivery of services, or an agent, employee, or volunteer of a domestic violence program shall not disclose information about a recipient of shelter, advocacy, or counseling services without the informed authorization of the recipient. In the case of an unemancipated minor, the minor and the parent or guardian must provide the authorization. For the purposes of this section, a "domestic violence program" means an agency that provides shelter, advocacy, or counseling for domestic violence victims in a supportive environment.
     (2)(a) A recipient of shelter, advocacy, or counseling services may authorize a domestic violence program to disclose information about the recipient. The authorization must be in writing, signed by the recipient, or if an unemancipated minor is the recipient, signed by the minor and the parent or guardian, and must contain a reasonable time limit on the duration of the recipient's authorization. If the authorization does not contain a date upon which the authorization to disclose information expires, the recipient's authorization expires ninety days after the date it was signed.
     (b) The domestic violence program's disclosure of information shall be only to the extent authorized by the recipient. The domestic violence program, if requested, shall provide a copy of the disclosed information to the recipient.
     (c) Except as provided under this chapter, an authorization is not a waiver of the recipient's rights or privileges under other statutes, rules of evidence, or common law.
     (3) If disclosure of a recipient's information is required by statute or court order, the domestic violence program shall make reasonable attempts to provide notice to the recipient affected by the disclosure of information. If personally identifying information is or will be disclosed, the domestic violence program shall take steps necessary to protect the privacy and safety of the persons affected by the disclosure of the information.
     (4) To comply with tribal, federal, state, or territorial reporting, evaluation, or data collection requirements, domestic violence programs may share data in the aggregate that does not contain personally identifying information and that: (a) Pertains to services to their clients; or (b) is demographic information.

Sec. 5   RCW 74.04.060 and 1987 c 435 s 29 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) For the protection of applicants and recipients, the department and the county offices and their respective officers and employees are prohibited, except as hereinafter provided, from disclosing the contents of any records, files, papers and communications, except for purposes directly connected with the administration of the programs of this title. In any judicial proceeding, except such proceeding as is directly concerned with the administration of these programs, such records, files, papers and communications, and their contents, shall be deemed privileged communications and except for the right of any individual to inquire of the office whether a named individual is a recipient of welfare assistance and such person shall be entitled to an affirmative or negative answer. ((However,))
     (b) Upon written request of a parent who has been awarded visitation rights in an action for divorce or separation or any parent with legal custody of the child, the department shall disclose to him or her the last known address and location of his or her natural or adopted children. The secretary shall adopt rules which establish procedures for disclosing the address of the children and providing, when appropriate, for prior notice to the custodian of the children. The notice shall state that a request for disclosure has been received and will be complied with by the department unless the department receives a copy of a court order which enjoins the disclosure of the information or restricts or limits the requesting party's right to contact or visit the other party or the child. Information supplied to a parent by the department shall be used only for purposes directly related to the enforcement of the visitation and custody provisions of the court order of separation or decree of divorce. No parent shall disclose such information to any other person except for the purpose of enforcing visitation provisions of the said order or decree.
     (c) The department shall review methods to improve the protection and confidentiality of information for recipients of welfare assistance who have disclosed to the department that they are past or current victims of domestic violence or stalking.
     (2) The county offices shall maintain monthly at their offices a report showing the names and addresses of all recipients in the county receiving public assistance under this title, together with the amount paid to each during the preceding month.
     (3) The provisions of this section shall not apply to duly designated representatives of approved private welfare agencies, public officials, members of legislative interim committees and advisory committees when performing duties directly connected with the administration of this title, such as regulation and investigation directly connected therewith: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That any information so obtained by such persons or groups shall be treated with such degree of confidentiality as is required by the federal social security law.
     (4) It shall be unlawful, except as provided in this section, for any person, body, association, firm, corporation or other agency to solicit, publish, disclose, receive, make use of, or to authorize, knowingly permit, participate in or acquiesce in the use of any lists or names for commercial or political purposes of any nature. The violation of this section shall be a gross misdemeanor.