Passed by the House April 18, 2009 Yeas 97   ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 10, 2009 Yeas 47   ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1790 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2009 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/29/09. Referred to Committee on Human Services.
AN ACT Relating to including domestic violence court order violations to the list of offenses eligible for notification; amending RCW 72.09.712 and 72.09.714; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 72.09.712 and 2008 c 231 s 27 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) At the earliest possible date, and in no event later than
thirty days before release except in the event of escape or emergency
furloughs as defined in RCW 72.66.010, the department of corrections
shall send written notice of parole, release, community custody, work
release placement, furlough, or escape about a specific inmate
convicted of a violent offense, a sex offense as defined by RCW
9.94A.030, a domestic violence court order violation pursuant to RCW
10.99.040, 10.99.050, 26.09.300, 26.10.220, 26.26.138, 26.50.110,
26.52.070, or 74.34.145, or a felony harassment offense as defined by
RCW 9A.46.060 or 9A.46.110, to the following:
(a) The chief of police of the city, if any, in which the inmate
will reside or in which placement will be made in a work release
program; and
(b) The sheriff of the county in which the inmate will reside or in
which placement will be made in a work release program.
The sheriff of the county where the offender was convicted shall be
notified if the department does not know where the offender will
reside. The department shall notify the state patrol of the release of
all sex offenders, and that information shall be placed in the
Washington crime information center for dissemination to all law
enforcement.
(2) The same notice as required by subsection (1) of this section
shall be sent to the following if such notice has been requested in
writing about a specific inmate convicted of a violent offense, a sex
offense as defined by RCW 9.94A.030, a domestic violence court order
violation pursuant to RCW 10.99.040, 10.99.050, 26.09.300, 26.10.220,
26.26.138, 26.50.110, 26.52.070, or 74.34.145, or a felony harassment
offense as defined by RCW 9A.46.060 or 9A.46.110:
(a) The victim of the crime for which the inmate was convicted or
the victim's next of kin if the crime was a homicide;
(b) Any witnesses who testified against the inmate in any court
proceedings involving the violent offense;
(c) Any person specified in writing by the prosecuting attorney;
and
(d) Any person who requests such notice about a specific inmate
convicted of a sex offense as defined by RCW 9.94A.030 from the
department of corrections at least sixty days prior to the expected
release date of the offender.
Information regarding victims, next of kin, or witnesses requesting
the notice, information regarding any other person specified in writing
by the prosecuting attorney to receive the notice, and the notice are
confidential and shall not be available to the inmate. Whenever the
department of corrections mails notice pursuant to this subsection and
the notice is returned as undeliverable, the department shall attempt
alternative methods of notification, including a telephone call to the
person's last known telephone number.
(3) The existence of the notice requirements contained in
subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall not require an extension
of the release date in the event that the release plan changes after
notification.
(4) If an inmate convicted of a violent offense, a sex offense as
defined by RCW 9.94A.030, a domestic violence court order violation
pursuant to RCW 10.99.040, 10.99.050, 26.09.300, 26.10.220, 26.26.138,
26.50.110, 26.52.070, or 74.34.145, or a felony harassment offense as
defined by RCW 9A.46.060 or 9A.46.110, escapes from a correctional
facility, the department of corrections shall immediately notify, by
the most reasonable and expedient means available, the chief of police
of the city and the sheriff of the county in which the inmate resided
immediately before the inmate's arrest and conviction. If previously
requested, the department shall also notify the witnesses and the
victim of the crime for which the inmate was convicted or the victim's
next of kin if the crime was a homicide. If the inmate is recaptured,
the department shall send notice to the persons designated in this
subsection as soon as possible but in no event later than two working
days after the department learns of such recapture.
(5) If the victim, the victim's next of kin, or any witness is
under the age of sixteen, the notice required by this section shall be
sent to the parents or legal guardian of the child.
(6) The department of corrections shall send the notices required
by this chapter to the last address provided to the department by the
requesting party. The requesting party shall furnish the department
with a current address.
(7) The department of corrections shall keep, for a minimum of two
years following the release of an inmate, the following:
(a) A document signed by an individual as proof that that person is
registered in the victim or witness notification program; and
(b) A receipt showing that an individual registered in the victim
or witness notification program was mailed a notice, at the
individual's last known address, upon the release or movement of an
inmate.
(8) For purposes of this section the following terms have the
following meanings:
(a) "Violent offense" means a violent offense under RCW 9.94A.030;
(b) "Next of kin" means a person's spouse, parents, siblings and
children.
(9) Nothing in this section shall impose any liability upon a chief
of police of a city or sheriff of a county for failing to request in
writing a notice as provided in subsection (1) of this section.
Sec. 2 RCW 72.09.714 and 1989 c 30 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
The department of corrections shall provide the victims, witnesses,
and next of kin in the case of a homicide and victims and witnesses
involved in violent offense cases ((or)), sex offenses as defined by
RCW 9.94A.030 ((where a judgment and sentence was entered after October
1, 1983)), a domestic violence court order violation pursuant to RCW
10.99.040, 10.99.050, 26.09.300, 26.10.220, 26.26.138, 26.50.110,
26.52.070, or 74.34.145, or a felony harassment pursuant to RCW
9A.46.060 or 9A.46.110, a statement of the rights of victims and
witnesses to request and receive notification under RCW ((9.94A.612))
72.09.712 and ((9.94A.616)) 72.09.716.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 This act takes effect August 1, 2009.