BILL REQ. #:  S-0596.1 

Read first time 01/23/13.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to notification of release of a person following dismissal of charges based on incompetence to stand trial; and amending RCW 10.77.065.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 10.77.065 and 2012 c 256 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a)(i) The expert conducting the evaluation shall provide his or her report and recommendation to the court in which the criminal proceeding is pending. For a competency evaluation of a defendant who is released from custody, if the evaluation cannot be completed within twenty-one days due to a lack of cooperation by the defendant, the evaluator shall notify the court that he or she is unable to complete the evaluation because of such lack of cooperation.
     (ii) A copy of the report and recommendation shall be provided to the designated mental health professional, the prosecuting attorney, the defense attorney, and the professional person at the local correctional facility where the defendant is being held, or if there is no professional person, to the person designated under (a)(iv) of this subsection. Upon request, the evaluator shall also provide copies of any source documents relevant to the evaluation to the designated mental health professional.
     (iii) Any facility providing inpatient services related to competency shall discharge the defendant as soon as the facility determines that the defendant is competent to stand trial. Discharge shall not be postponed during the writing and distribution of the evaluation report. Distribution of an evaluation report by a facility providing inpatient services shall ordinarily be accomplished within two working days or less following the final evaluation of the defendant. If the defendant is discharged to the custody of a local correctional facility, the local correctional facility must continue the medication regimen prescribed by the facility, when clinically appropriate, unless the defendant refuses to cooperate with medication.
     (iv) If there is no professional person at the local correctional facility, the local correctional facility shall designate a professional person as defined in RCW 71.05.020 or, in cooperation with the regional support network, a professional person at the regional support network to receive the report and recommendation.
     (v) Upon commencement of a defendant's evaluation in the local correctional facility, the local correctional facility must notify the evaluator of the name of the professional person, or person designated under (a)(iv) of this subsection, to receive the report and recommendation.
     (b) If the evaluator concludes, under RCW 10.77.060(3)(f), the person should be evaluated by a designated mental health professional under chapter 71.05 RCW, the court shall order such evaluation be conducted prior to release from confinement when the person is acquitted or convicted and sentenced to confinement for twenty-four months or less, or when charges are dismissed pursuant to a finding of incompetent to stand trial.
     (2) The designated mental health professional shall provide written notification within twenty-four hours of the results of the determination whether to commence proceedings under chapter 71.05 RCW. The notification shall be provided to the persons identified in subsection (1)(a) of this section.
     (3) The prosecuting attorney shall provide a copy of the results of any proceedings commenced by the designated mental health professional under subsection (2) of this section to the secretary.
     (4) A facility conducting a civil commitment evaluation under RCW 10.77.086(4) or 10.77.088(1)(b)(ii) that makes a determination to release the person instead of filing a civil commitment petition must provide written notification to the prosecuting attorney within twenty-four hours of the determination.
     (5) The fact of admission and all information and records compiled, obtained, or maintained in the course of providing services under this chapter may also be disclosed to the courts solely to prevent the entry of any evaluation or treatment order that is inconsistent with any order entered under chapter 71.05 RCW.