SENATE BILL REPORT

SSCR 8433

BYSenate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Benitz and West)

Creating a joint select committee on violence prevention.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 8, 1990

Majority Report:     That Substitute Concurrent Resolution No. 8433 be substituted therefor, and the substitute concurrent resolution do pass.

     Signed by Senators Nelson, Chairman; McCaslin, Vice Chairman; Newhouse, Niemi, Patrick, Rinehart, Talmadge, Thorsness.

Senate Staff:Anita Neal (786-7418)

                February 26, 1990

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 23, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Criminal justice agencies and the courts have traditionally been the only entities to address the problem of violence within society even though other entities such as medical and public health professionals can provide communities with effective options for preventing violence.

Currently, no entity of state or local government is charged with the authority to address the risk factors that lead to violence or to make recommendations that may solve the growing problem of violence in our society.

SUMMARY:

A Joint Select Committee on Violence Prevention is created.  The committee is composed of one representative from each of the two largest caucuses of the Senate and House of Representatives, appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, respectively.  Also included on the committee are the Secretary of the Department of Health; the Director of Public Health Services for Region X, United States Department of Health and Human Services; the Washington Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and representatives of the news media; religious leadership; the business community; public and private education; medicine; nursing; public health; law enforcement; coroners, health education, social services; the court system; and academia appointed by the Secretary of Health.  The committee is co-chaired by the Senate and House of Representatives members that represent the majority caucuses of each house.  The Legislature and Department of Health shall provide staff for the committee.

The committee will plan and staff a multidisciplinary statewide conference on interpersonal violence to be held in the fall of 1990 which shall address the issues of spousal abuse, child abuse, elder abuse, acquaintance or date rape and violence, media violence and pornography, rape and marital rape, sexual offenders, abusive partners, innovative medical advances in treating sexual assault, the role of the clergy and church-based programs, teaching nonviolent parenting, substance abuse and violence, incest, and medical responses to abuse.

The committee shall also participate with local public health officials in collecting available data to improve violence reduction efforts and assist local communities in evaluating changes in state and local programs and political structures.

Technical assistance shall be provided to local leaders and elected officials as they plan regional conferences on interpersonal violence in local communities.

The committee is to be funded by appropriations to the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Department of Health.  The conference shall be funded by state and federal funds.

Appropriation:  unspecified

Revenue:   none

Fiscal Note:    available

Appointments by Legislature Required: One representative from each of the two largest caucuses of the Senate and the House of Representatives, appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, respectively.

Senate Committee - Testified:   Senator Benitz; Deborah Senn, Washington Coalition Against Domestic Violence