AN ACT Relating to treatment of sex offenders; amending RCW 9.94A.120; adding a new chapter to Title 18 RCW; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1. Section 4, chapter 252, Laws of 1989 and RCW 9.94A.120 are each amended to read as follows:

When a person is convicted of a felony, the court shall impose punishment as provided in this section.

(1) Except as authorized in subsections (2), (5), and (7) of this section, the court shall impose a sentence within the sentence range for the offense.

(2) The court may impose a sentence outside the standard sentence range for that offense if it finds, considering the purpose of this chapter, that there are substantial and compelling reasons justifying an exceptional sentence.

(3) Whenever a sentence outside the standard range is imposed, the court shall set forth the reasons for its decision in written findings of fact and conclusions of law. A sentence outside the standard range shall be a determinate sentence.

(4) An offender convicted of the crime of murder in the first degree shall be sentenced to a term of total confinement not less than twenty years. An offender convicted of the crime of assault in the first degree where the offender used force or means likely to result in death or intended to kill the victim shall be sentenced to a term of total confinement not less than five years. An offender convicted of the crime of rape in the first degree shall be sentenced to a term of total confinement not less than three years, and shall not be eligible for furlough, work release or other authorized leave of absence from the correctional facility during such minimum three year term except for the purpose of commitment to an inpatient treatment facility. The foregoing minimum terms of total confinement are mandatory and shall not be varied or modified as provided in subsection (2) of this section.

(5) In sentencing a first-time offender the court may waive the imposition of a sentence within the sentence range and impose a sentence which may include up to ninety days of confinement in a facility operated or utilized under contract by the county and a requirement that the offender refrain from committing new offenses. The sentence may also include up to two years of community supervision, which, in addition to crime-related prohibitions, may include requirements that the offender perform any one or more of the following:

(a) Devote time to a specific employment or occupation;

(b) Undergo available outpatient treatment for up to two years, or inpatient treatment not to exceed the standard range of confinement for that offense;

(d) Remain within prescribed geographical boundaries and notify the court or the community corrections officer prior to any change in the offender's address or employment;

(e) Report as directed to the court and a community corrections officer; or

(f) Pay all court-ordered legal financial obligations as provided in RCW 9.94A.030 and/or perform community service work.

(6) If a sentence range has not been established for the defendant's crime, the court shall impose a determinate sentence which may include not more than one year of confinement, community service work, a term of community supervision not to exceed one year, and/or other legal financial obligations. The court may impose a sentence which provides more than one year of confinement if the court finds, considering the purpose of this chapter, that there are substantial and compelling reasons justifying an exceptional sentence.

(7) (a) (i) When an offender is convicted of a sex offense other than a violation of ((~~RCW 9A.44.040 or~~)) RCW 9A.44.050 or a sex offense that is also a serious violent offense and has no prior convictions for a sex offense or any other felony ((~~sexual~~)) sex offenses in this or any other state, the sentencing court, on its own motion or the motion of the state or the defendant, may order an examination to determine whether the defendant is amenable to treatment.

The report of the examination shall include at a minimum the following: The defendant's version of the facts and the official version of the facts, the defendant's offense history, an assessment of problems in addition to alleged deviant behaviors, the offender's social and employment situation, and other evaluation measures used. The report shall set forth the sources of the evaluator's information.

The examiner shall assess and report regarding the defendant's amenability to treatment and relative risk to the community. A proposed treatment plan shall be provided and shall include, at a minimum:

(A) Frequency and type of contact between offender and therapist;

(B) Specific issues to be addressed in the treatment and description of planned treatment modalities;

(C) monitoring plans, including any requirements regarding living conditions, lifestyle requirements, and monitoring by family members and others;

(D) Anticipated length of treatment; and

(E) Recommended crime-related prohibitions.

The court on its own motion may order, or on a motion by the state shall order, a second examination regarding the offender's amenability to treatment. The evaluator shall be selected by the party making the motion.

(ii) After receipt of the reports, the court shall ((~~then determine~~)) consider whether the offender and the community will benefit from use of this special sexual offender sentencing alternative and consider the victim's opinion whether the offender should receive a treatment disposition under this subsection. If the court determines that ((~~both the offender and the community will benefit from use of this provision~~)) this special sex offender sentencing alternative is appropriate, the court shall then impose a sentence within the sentence range ((~~and,~~)). If this sentence is less than ((~~six~~)) eight years of confinement, the court may suspend the execution of the sentence and impose the following conditions of suspension:

(A) The court shall place the ((~~offender~~)) defendant on community supervision for ((~~up to two~~)) the length of the suspended sentence or three years, whichever is greater; and

(B) The court shall order treatment for any period up to three years in duration. The court in its discretion shall order outpatient sex offender treatment or inpatient sex offender treatment, if available. A community mental health center may not be used for such treatment unless it has an appropriate program designed for sex offender treatment. The offender shall not change sex offender treatment providers or treatment conditions without first notifying the prosecutor, the community corrections officer, and the court, and shall not change providers without court approval after a hearing if the prosecutor or community corrections officer object to the change. In addition, as ((a)) conditions of the suspended sentence, the court may impose other sentence conditions including up to six months of confinement, not to exceed the sentence range of confinement for that offense, crime-related prohibitions, and requirements that the offender perform any one or more of the following:

((~~(i)~~)) (I) Devote time to a specific employment or occupation;

(((ii) Undergo available outpatient sex offender treatment for up to two years, or inpatient sex offender treatment not to exceed the standard range of confinement for that offense. A community mental health center may not be used for such treatment unless it has an appropriate program designed for sex offender treatment;

~~(iii)~~)) (II) Remain within prescribed geographical boundaries and notify the court or the community corrections officer prior to any change in the offender's address or employment;

((~~(iv)~~)) (III) Report as directed to the court and a community corrections officer;

((~~(v)~~)) (IV) Pay all court-ordered legal financial obligations as provided in RCW 9.94A.030, perform community service work, or any combination thereof; or

((~~(vi)~~)) (V) Make recoupment to the victim for the cost of any counseling required as a result of the offender's crime.

(iii) The sex offender therapist shall submit quarterly reports on the defendant's progress in treatment to the court and the parties. The report shall reference the treatment plan and include at a minimum the following: Dates of attendance, defendant's compliance with requirements, treatment activities, the defendant's relative progress in treatment, and any other material as specified by the court at sentencing.

(iv) At the time of sentencing, the court shall set a treatment termination hearing for three months prior to the anticipated date for completion of treatment. Prior to the treatment termination hearing, the treatment professional and community corrections officer shall submit written reports to the court and parties regarding the defendant's compliance with treatment and monitoring requirements, and recommendations regarding termination from treatment, including proposed community supervision conditions. Either party may request and the court may order another evaluation regarding the advisability of termination from treatment. At the treatment termination hearing the court may: (A) Modify conditions of community supervision, and either (B) terminate treatment, or (C) extend treatment for up to the remaining period of community supervision.

(v) The court may revoke the suspended sentence at any time during the period of community supervision and order execution of the sentence if: (A) The ((~~offender~~)) defendant violates ((~~these sentence~~)) the conditions ((~~the court may revoke the suspension and order execution of the sentence~~)) of the suspended sentence, or (B) the court finds that the defendant is failing to make satisfactory progress in treatment. All confinement time served during the period of community supervision shall be credited to the offender if the suspended sentence is revoked.

(vi) After July 1, 1991, examinations and treatment ordered pursuant to this subsection shall only be conducted by sex offender treatment providers certified by the department of health pursuant to sections 2 through 9 of this 1990 act.

(b) When an offender is convicted of any felony sexual offense committed before July 1, 1987, and is sentenced to a term of confinement of more than one year but less than six years, the sentencing court may, on its own motion or on the motion of the offender or the state, order the offender committed for up to thirty days to the custody of the secretary of social and health services for evaluation and report to the court on the offender's amenability to treatment at these facilities. If the secretary of social and health services cannot begin the evaluation within thirty days of the court's order of commitment, the offender shall be transferred to the state for confinement pending an opportunity to be evaluated at the appropriate facility. The court shall review the reports and may order that the term of confinement imposed be served in the sexual offender treatment program at the location determined by the secretary of social and health services or the secretary's designee, only if the report indicates that the offender is amenable to the treatment program provided at these facilities. The offender shall be transferred to the state pending placement in the treatment program. Any offender who has escaped from the treatment program shall be referred back to the sentencing court.

If the offender does not comply with the conditions of the treatment program, the secretary of social and health services may refer the matter to the sentencing court. The sentencing court shall commit the offender to the department of corrections to serve the balance of the term of confinement.

If the offender successfully completes the treatment program before the expiration of the term of confinement, the court may convert the balance of confinement to community supervision and may place conditions on the offender including crime-related prohibitions and requirements that the offender perform any one or more of the following:

(i) Devote time to a specific employment or occupation;

(ii) Remain within prescribed geographical boundaries and notify the court or the community corrections officer prior to any change in the offender's address or employment;

(iii) Report as directed to the court and a community corrections officer;

(iv) Undergo available outpatient treatment.

If the offender violates any of the terms of community supervision, the court may order the offender to serve out the balance of the community supervision term in confinement in the custody of the department of corrections.

After June 30, 1993, this subsection (b) shall cease to have effect.

(c) When an offender commits any felony sexual offense on or after July 1, 1987, and is sentenced to a term of confinement of more than one year but less than six years, the sentencing court may, on its own motion or on the motion of the offender or the state, request the department of corrections to evaluate whether the offender is amenable to treatment and the department may place the offender in a treatment program within a correctional facility operated by the department.

Except for an offender who has been convicted of a violation of RCW 9A.44.040 or 9A.44.050, if the offender completes the treatment program before the expiration of his term of confinement, the department of corrections may request the court to convert the balance of confinement to community supervision and to place conditions on the offender including crime-related prohibitions and requirements that the offender perform any one or more of the following:

(i) Devote time to a specific employment or occupation;

(ii) Remain within prescribed geographical boundaries and notify the court or the community corrections officer prior to any change in the offender's address or employment;

(iii) Report as directed to the court and a community corrections officer;

(iv) Undergo available outpatient treatment.

If the offender violates any of the terms of his community supervision, the court may order the offender to serve out the balance of his community supervision term in confinement in the custody of the department of corrections.

Nothing in (c) of this subsection shall confer eligibility for such programs for offenders convicted and sentenced for a sexual offense committed prior to July 1, 1987.

(8) (a) When a court sentences a person to a term of total confinement to the custody of the department of corrections for an offense categorized as a sex offense, a serious violent offense, assault in the second degree, any crime against a person where it is determined in accordance with RCW 9.94A.125 that the defendant or an accomplice was armed with a deadly weapon at the time of commission, or any felony offense under chapter 69.50 or 69.52 RCW, committed on or after July 1, 1988, the court shall in addition to the other terms of the sentence, sentence the offender to a one-year term of community placement beginning either upon completion of the term of confinement or at such time as the offender is transferred to community custody in lieu of earned early release in accordance with RCW 9.94A.150(1). When the court sentences an offender under this section to the statutory maximum period of confinement then the community placement portion of the sentence shall consist entirely of such community custody to which the offender may become eligible, in accordance with RCW 9.94A.150(1). Any period of community custody actually served shall be credited against the community placement portion of the sentence.

(b) When a court sentences a person to a term of total confinement to the custody of the department of corrections for an offense categorized as a sex offense, a serious violent offense, assault in the second degree, any crime against a person where it is determined in accordance with RCW 9.94A.125 that the defendant or an accomplice was armed with a deadly weapon at the time of commission, or any felony offense under chapter 69.50 or 69.52 RCW, committed on or after July 1, 1988, unless a condition is waived by the court, the sentence shall include, in addition to the other terms of the sentence, a one-year term of community placement on the following conditions:

(i) The offender shall report to and be available for contact with the assigned community corrections officer as directed;

(ii) The offender shall work at department of corrections-approved education, employment, and/or community service;

(iii) The offender shall not consume controlled substances except pursuant to lawfully issued prescriptions;

(iv) An offender in community custody shall not unlawfully possess controlled substances; and

(v) The offender shall pay supervision fees as determined by the department of corrections.

(i) The offender shall remain within, or outside of, a specified geographical boundary;

(ii) The offender shall not have direct or indirect contact with the victim of the crime or a specified class of individuals;

(iii) The offender shall participate in crime-related treatment or counseling services;

(iv) The offender shall not consume alcohol;

(v) The residence location and living arrangements of a sex offender shall be subject to the prior approval of the department of corrections; or

(vi) The offender shall comply with any crime-related prohibitions.

(d) Prior to transfer to, or during, community placement, any conditions of community placement may be removed or modified so as not to be more restrictive by the sentencing court, upon recommendation of the department of corrections.

(9) If the court imposes a sentence requiring confinement of thirty days or less, the court may, in its discretion, specify that the sentence be served on consecutive or intermittent days. A sentence requiring more than thirty days of confinement shall be served on consecutive days. Local jail administrators may schedule court-ordered intermittent sentences as space permits.

(10) If a sentence imposed includes payment of a legal financial obligation, the sentence shall specify the total amount of the legal financial obligation owed, and shall require the offender to pay a specified monthly sum toward that legal financial obligation. Restitution to victims shall be paid prior to any other payments of monetary obligations. Any legal financial obligation that is imposed by the court may be collected by the department, which shall deliver the amount paid to the county clerk for credit. The offender's compliance with payment of legal financial obligations shall be supervised by the department. All monetary payments ordered shall be paid no later than ten years after the last date of release from confinement pursuant to a felony conviction or the date the sentence was entered. Independent of the department, the party or entity to whom the legal financial obligation is owed shall have the authority to utilize any other remedies available to the party or entity to collect the legal financial obligation. Nothing in this section makes the department, the state, or any of its employees, agents, or other persons acting on their behalf liable under any circumstances for the payment of these legal financial obligations. If an order includes restitution as one of the monetary assessments, the county clerk shall make disbursements to victims named in the order.

(11) Except as provided under RCW 9.94A.140(1) and 9.94A.142(1), a court may not impose a sentence providing for a term of confinement or community supervision or community placement which exceeds the statutory maximum for the crime as provided in chapter 9A.20 RCW.

(12) All offenders sentenced to terms involving community supervision, community service, or legal financial obligation shall be under the supervision of the secretary of the department of corrections or such person as the secretary may designate and shall follow explicitly the instructions of the secretary including reporting as directed to a community corrections officer, remaining within prescribed geographical boundaries, and notifying the community corrections officer of any change in the offender's address or employment.

(13) The sentencing court shall give the offender credit for all confinement time served before the sentencing if that confinement was solely in regard to the offense for which the offender is being sentenced.

(14) A departure from the standards in RCW 9.94A.400(1) and (2) governing whether sentences are to be served consecutively or concurrently is an exceptional sentence subject to the limitations in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, and may be appealed by the defendant or the state as set forth in RCW 9.94A.210(2) through (6).

(15) The court shall order restitution whenever the offender is convicted of a felony that results in injury to any person or damage to or loss of property, whether the offender is sentenced to confinement or placed under community supervision, unless extraordinary circumstances exist that make restitution inappropriate in the court's judgment. The court shall set forth the extraordinary circumstances in the record if it does not order restitution.

(16) As a part of any sentence, the court may impose and enforce an order that relates directly to the circumstances of the crime for which the offender has been convicted, prohibiting the offender from having any contact with other specified individuals or a specific class of individuals for a period not to exceed the maximum allowable sentence for the crime, regardless of the expiration of the offender's term of community supervision.

(17) In any sentence of partial confinement, the court may require the defendant to serve the partial confinement in work release or in a program of home detention.

(18) All court-ordered legal financial obligations collected by the department and remitted to the county clerk shall be credited and paid where restitution is ordered. Restitution shall be paid prior to any other payments of monetary obligations.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The legislature finds that sex offender therapists who examine and treat sex offenders pursuant to the special sexual offender sentencing alternative under RCW 9.94A.120(7)(a) play a vital role in protecting the public from sex offenders who remain in the community following conviction. The legislature finds that the qualifications, practices, techniques, and effectiveness of sex offender treatment providers vary widely and that the court's ability to effectively determine the appropriateness of granting the sentencing alternative and monitoring the offender to ensure continued protection of the community is undermined by a lack of regulated practices. The legislature recognizes the right of sex offender therapists to practice, consistent with the paramount requirements of public safety. Public safety is best served by regulating sex offender therapists whose clients are being evaluated and being treated pursuant to RCW 9.94A.120(7)(a). This chapter shall be construed to require only those sex offender therapists who examine and treat sex offenders pursuant to RCW 9.94A.120(7)(a) to obtain a sexual offender treatment certification as provided in this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter:

(1) "Certified sex offender treatment provider" means a licensed, certified, or registered health professional who is certified to examine and treat sex offenders pursuant to RCW 9.94A.120(7)(a).

(2) "Department" means the department of health.

(3) "Secretary" means the secretary of health.

(4) "Sex offender treatment provider" means a person who counsels or treats sex offenders accused of or convicted of a sex offense as defined by RCW 9.94A.030.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) No person shall represent himself or herself as a certified sex offender treatment provider without first applying for and receiving a certificate pursuant to this chapter.

(2) Only a certified sex offender treatment provider may perform or provide the following services:

(a) Evaluations conducted for the purposes of and pursuant to RCW 9.94A.120(7)(a);

(b) Treatment of convicted sex offenders who are sentenced and ordered into treatment pursuant to RCW 9.94A.120(7)(a).

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. In addition to any other authority provided by law, the secretary shall have the following authority:

(1) To set all fees required in this chapter in accordance with RCW 43.70.250;

(2) To establish forms necessary to administer this chapter;

(3) To issue a certificate to any applicant who has met the education, training, and examination requirements for certification and deny a certificate to applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications for certification. Proceedings concerning the denial of certificates based on unprofessional conduct or impaired practice shall be governed by the uniform disciplinary act, chapter 18.130 RCW;

(4) To hire clerical, administrative, and investigative staff as needed to implement and administer this chapter and to hire individuals including those certified under this chapter to serve as examiners or consultants as necessary to implement and administer this chapter;

(5) To maintain the official department record of all applicants and certifications;

(6) To conduct a hearing on an appeal of a denial of a certificate on the applicant's failure to meet the minimum qualifications for certification. The hearing shall be conducted pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW;

(7) To issue subpoenas, statements of charges, statements of intent to deny certificates, and orders and to delegate in writing to a designee the authority to issue subpoenas, statements of charges, and statements of intent to deny certificates;

(8) To determine the minimum education, work experience, and training requirements for certification, including but not limited to approval of educational programs;

(9) To prepare and administer or approve the preparation and administration of examinations for certification;

(10) To establish by rule the procedure for appeal of an examination failure;

(11) To adopt rules implementing a continuing competency program;

(12) To adopt rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW as necessary to implement this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The sexual offender treatment providers advisory committee is established to advise the secretary concerning the administration of this chapter.

(2) The secretary shall appoint the members of the advisory committee who shall consist of the following persons:

(a) One superior court judge;

(b) Three sexual offender treatment providers;

(d) One defense attorney with experience in representing persons charged with sexual offenses;

(e) One representative from the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys;

(f) The secretary of the department of social and health services or his or her designee;

(g) The secretary of the department of corrections or his or her designee.

The secretary shall develop and implement the certification procedures with the advice of the committee by July 1, 1991. Following implementation of these procedures by the secretary, the committee shall be a permanent body. The members shall serve staggered six-year terms, to be set by the secretary. No person other than the members representing the departments of social and health services and corrections may serve more than two consecutive terms.

The secretary may remove any member of the advisory committee for cause as specified by rule. In a case of a vacancy, the secretary shall appoint a person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(3) Committee members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

(4) The committee shall elect officers as deemed necessary to administer its duties. A simple majority of the committee members currently serving shall constitute a quorum of the committee.

(5) Members of the advisory committee shall be residents of this state. The members who are sex offender treatment providers must have a minimum of three years of extensive work experience in treating sex offenders to qualify for appointment to the initial committee, which shall develop and implement the certification program. After July 1, 1991, the sex offender treatment providers on the committee must be certified pursuant to this chapter.

(6) The committee shall meet at times as necessary to conduct committee business.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The secretary, members of the committee, and individuals acting on their behalf are immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, based on any acts performed in the course of their duties.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The department shall issue a certificate to any applicant who meets the following requirements:

(1) Successful completion of an educational program approved by the secretary or successful completion of alternate training which meets the criteria of the secretary;

(2) Successful completion of any experience requirement established by the secretary;

(3) Successful completion of an examination administered or approved by the secretary;

(4) Not having engaged in unprofessional conduct or being unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety as a result of a physical or mental impairment;

(5) Other requirements as may be established by the secretary that impact the competence of the sex offender treatment provider.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The secretary shall establish by rule standards and procedures for approval of the following:

(1) Educational programs and alternate training;

(2) Examination procedures;

(3) Certifying applicants who have a comparable certification in another jurisdiction;

(4) Application method and forms;

(5) Requirements for renewals of certificates;

(6) Requirements of certified sex offender treatment providers who seek inactive status;

(7) Other rules as appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Sections 2 through 9 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 18 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. (1) Section 1 of this act shall take effect July 1, 1990, and shall apply to crimes committed on or after July 1, 1990.

(2) Sections 2 through 9 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.