FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5014

                              C 26 L 89

BYSenate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Pullen, Madsen, Hayner and Rasmussen)

Amending provisions regarding police dogs.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

House Committe on Judiciary

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

A "dog handler" is a law enforcement officer who has successfully completed training in police dog handling through the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.  Current law provides civil immunity for a dog handler using a police dog in the line of duty in accordance with standards established by the law enforcement agency for which the dog handler works.  However, civil liability has been imposed on local municipalities under the federal Civil Rights Act where established standards have been violated or determined to be unreasonable.

Harming a police dog is a class C felony under present law.  The statute does not address the situation where a person injures or kills a police dog not actually involved in police work at the time of the injury.

SUMMARY:

A dog handler who uses a police dog in the line of duty in good faith is immune from civil liability arising out of such use of the police dog.

A person is guilty of harming a police dog if the person maliciously injures or kills any dog that the person knows or has reason to know is a police dog whether or not the dog is actually engaged in police work at the time of injury or death.

It is clarified that police dogs are exempt from the registration procedures under the state's dangerous dog statute.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   43    0

     House 96  0

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989