AN ACT Relating to juveniles; and amending RCW 28A.27.100 and 13.50.010.

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

Sec. 1. Section 28A.27.100, chapter 223, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as last amended by section 189, chapter 202, Laws of 1987 and RCW 28A.27.100 are each amended to read as follows:

Any person violating any of the provisions of either RCW 28A.27.010 or 28A.27.090 shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars for each day of unexcused absence from school. However, a child found to be in violation of RCW 28A.27.010 shall be required to attend school and shall not be fined. Failure by a child to comply with an order issued under this section shall ((~~not be punishable~~)) be punished by detention or by school class attendance accompanied by a parent or guardian, or both, for a period not greater than that permitted pursuant to a contempt proceeding against a child under chapter 13.32A RCW. It shall be a defense for a parent charged with violating RCW 28A.27.010 to show that he or she exercised reasonable diligence in attempting to cause a child in his or her custody to attend school or that the juvenile's school did not perform its duties as required in RCW 28A.27.020. Any fine imposed pursuant to this section may be suspended upon the condition that a parent charged with violating RCW 28A.27.010 shall participate with the school and the juvenile in a supervised plan for the juvenile's attendance at school or upon condition that the parent attend a conference or conferences scheduled by a school for the purpose of analyzing the causes of a child's absence.

Attendance officers shall make complaint for violation of the provisions of RCW 28A.27.010 through 28A.27.130 to a judge of the superior or district court.

Sec. 2. Section 8, chapter 155, Laws of 1979 as amended by section 11, chapter 288, Laws of 1986 and RCW 13.50.010 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) For purposes of this chapter:

(a) "Juvenile justice or care agency" means any of the following: Police, diversion units, court, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, detention center, attorney general, school district, the department of social and health services and its contracting agencies, and persons or public or private agencies having children committed to their custody;

(b) "Official juvenile court file" means the legal file of the juvenile court containing the petition or information, motions, memorandums, briefs, findings of the court, and court orders;

(d) "Records" means the official juvenile court file, the social file, and records of any other juvenile justice or care agency in the case.

(2) Each petition or information filed with the court may include only one juvenile and each petition or information shall be filed under a separate docket number. The social file shall be filed separately from the official juvenile court file.

(3) It is the duty of any juvenile justice or care agency to maintain accurate records. To this end:

(a) The agency may never knowingly record inaccurate information;

(b) An agency shall take reasonable steps to insure the security of its records and prevent tampering with them; and

(c) An agency shall make reasonable efforts to insure the completeness of its records, including action taken by other agencies with respect to matters in its files.

(4) Each juvenile justice or care agency shall implement procedures consistent with the provisions of this chapter to facilitate inquiries concerning records.

(5) Any person who has reasonable cause to believe information concerning that person is included in the records of a juvenile justice or care agency and who has been denied access to those records by the agency may make a motion to the court for an order authorizing that person to inspect the juvenile justice or care agency record concerning that person. The court shall grant the motion to examine records unless it finds that in the interests of justice or in the best interests of the juvenile the records or parts of them should remain confidential.

(6) A juvenile, or his or her parents, or any person who has reasonable cause to believe information concerning that person is included in the records of a juvenile justice or care agency may make a motion to the court challenging the accuracy of any information concerning the moving party in the record or challenging the continued possession of the record by the agency. If the court grants the motion, it shall order the record or information to be corrected or destroyed.

(7) The person making a motion under subsection (5) or (6) of this section shall give reasonable notice of the motion to all parties to the original action and to any agency whose records will be affected by the motion.

(8) The court may permit inspection of records by, or release of information to, any clinic, hospital, or agency which has the subject person under care or treatment, or to individuals or agencies engaged in legitimate research for educational, scientific, or public purposes. The court may also permit inspection of, or release of information from, records which have been sealed pursuant to RCW 13.50.050(11). Access to records or information for research purposes shall be permitted only if the anonymity of all persons mentioned in the records or information will be preserved. Each person granted permission to inspect juvenile justice or care agency records for research purposes shall present a notorized statement to the court stating that the names of juveniles and parents will remain confidential.

(9) Juvenile detention facilities shall release records to the juvenile disposition standards commission under RCW 13.40.025 upon request. The commission shall not disclose the names of any juveniles or parents mentioned in the records without the named individual's written permission.