BILL REQ. #: H-3179.3
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/17/12. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AN ACT Relating to authorizing the establishment and use of veterans' courts; amending RCW 2.28.190; and adding a new section to chapter 2.28 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 2.28 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Counties and municipalities may establish and operate veterans'
courts.
(2)(a) Any jurisdiction that seeks a state appropriation to fund a
veterans' court program must first:
(i) Exhaust all federal funding that is available to support the
operations of its veterans' court and associated services; and
(ii) Match, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, state moneys allocated
for veterans' court programs with local cash or in-kind resources.
Moneys allocated by the state must be used to supplement, not supplant,
other federal, state, and local funds for veterans' court operations
and associated services.
(b) Any jurisdiction that establishes a veterans' court under this
section shall establish minimum requirements for the participation of
offenders in the program. The veterans' court may adopt local
requirements that are more stringent than the minimum. The minimum
requirements are:
(i) The offender would benefit from being in a specialized
therapeutic court program;
(ii) The offender has not previously been convicted of a serious
violent offense or sex offense as defined in RCW 9.94A.030;
(iii) Without regard to whether proof of any of these elements is
required to convict, the offender is not currently charged with or
convicted of an offense:
(A) That is a violation of RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504 or an
equivalent local ordinance;
(B) That is a felony offense;
(C) That is a sex offense;
(D) That is a serious violent offense;
(E) During which the defendant used a firearm; or
(F) During which the defendant caused substantial or great bodily
harm or death to another person; and
(iv) A check of the offender's background confirms that the
offender is a veteran or service member.
(3) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Service member" means a person who is serving as a member in
any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the
national guard and armed forces reserves.
(b) "Veteran" means a person who has served as a member in any
branch of the armed forces of the United States, including the national
guard and armed forces reserves, and has fulfilled his or her initial
military service obligation.
(c) "Veterans' court" means a court that has special calendars or
dockets designed to achieve a reduction in recidivism among nonviolent
misdemeanants who are veterans through early, continuous, and intense
judicially supervised treatment, drug treatment, or mental health
treatment if necessary, mandatory periodic reviews, appropriate
sanctions, and assistance with accessing services available through
federal and state veterans' offices, government agencies, and community
organizations.
(4) It is not a requirement that a person have combat experience
during his or her service to be considered a veteran or service member
under this section.
Sec. 2 RCW 2.28.190 and 2011 c 293 s 11 are each amended to read
as follows:
Any county that has established a DUI court, drug court, veterans'
court, and a mental health court under this chapter may combine the
functions of these courts into a single therapeutic court.