SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6308

BYSenate Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Senators Bailey and Kiskaddon)

Requiring the development of a juvenile court training curriculum.

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 27, 1988; February 2, 1988

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6308 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Kiskaddon, Chairman; Bailey, Vice Chairman; Craswell, Garrett, McDonald, Stratton.

Senate Staff:Jennifer Strus (786-7472)

                  March 7, 1988

House Committe on Human Services

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 10, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Washington State Code Review Panel recognizes that appropriate training and adequate experience in juvenile and family law are essential to a just and effective dependency system.  The panel recommended to the Legislature that a curriculum for a general understanding of child development and treatment resources, as well as specific legal skills and knowledge of relevant statutes, cases, court rules, interviewing skills and special needs of the abused or neglected child should be developed and required for all participants.  The development of this curriculum is critical particularly in light of the system used in most superior courts in which superior court judges, some with no experience or education in dependency matters, are rotated through juvenile court.

SUMMARY:

The Legislature recognizes that a need exists to have judges, attorneys, court personnel and service providers properly trained to handle cases in the dependency and at risk youth systems.  The Office of the Administrator for the Courts shall develop a curriculum which shall be available on a voluntary basis to all juvenile court judges, court personnel and service providers.  The curriculum shall specifically include materials on RCW 13.32A and RCW 13.34.

The general purpose of the curriculum is to develop an understanding of child development and treatment resources.  The specific intent of the curriculum is to develop the specific legal and interviewing skills necessary for handling dependency cases as well as developing the knowledge of relevant statutes, cases and court rules.  The curriculum is also designed to educate judges, court personnel and service providers on the special needs of the abused or neglected child.

The curriculum shall be available by July 1, 1988.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    yes

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Mauree McKeon, Washington State Code Review Panel (for); Margie Kranz (for); Marilyn Gunther, Coalition of Concerned Citizens (against)

HOUSE AMENDMENT:

A new section is added which just clarifies the legislative intent of the bill.  The other amendment is purely technical.  It states that the statutes to be covered by curriculum must include RCW 13.34 and 13.32A.