HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 3006

BYRepresentatives Wineberry, Appelwick, Locke, Anderson, Nelson and Spanel

Creating the minority justice commission.

House Committe on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. (26)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Hine, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Padden, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:Nancy Stevenson (786-7130)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 3, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Washington State Minority and Justice Task Force was created in 1987 to study the treatment of minorities in state courts, to recommend possible reforms, and to provide awareness training.  As part of its work, the Task Force has identified 10 major issues requiring further study.  These include problems relating to language barriers and the competence of court interpreters, general perception of bias in the legal system; under- representation of minority employees in the legal system, on jury pools and jury panels, the perception that minorities receive harsher sentences, and the treatment of minority victims of crime.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Washington State Minority Justice Commission is created, consisting of 11 members appointed by the governor.  The commission is to advise the governor, Legislature, Supreme Court, and the Office of the Administrator of the Courts on action to be taken to insure ethnic/racial minorities are receiving equal treatment in the state justice system.

Initially, the commission is funded by state funds. After June 30, 1991, the commission's activities must be funded entirely from the private sector.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL:  The substitute bill eliminates the specific requirement that five members be from Eastern Washington and five members be from Western Washington.  The commission must be funded entirely from private sector sources.  The appropriation is eliminated.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Supreme Court Justice Charles Z. Smith.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The Minority and Justice Task Force created in 1987 has identified long-term issues regarding the treatment of ethnic/racial minorities in the state's judicial system.  Numerous inequities in the system must be addressed. The commission will address these inequities and oversee the implementation of the task force recommendations. Future funding will be sought from private sources.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.