S-808                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5423

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Thorsness, Stratton, Hayner, McDonald, Pullen, Amondson, Patterson, Saling, Bailey, Lee and Rasmussen

Read first time 1/24/89 and referred to Committee on   Law & Justice.

AN ACT Relating to narcotic enforcement by the office of the attorney general; adding a new section to chapter 9A.82 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.08 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that the manufacture, delivery, sale, possession, and use of drugs in our state is increasing at an alarming rate.  This increase in drug activity threatens the peace, security, and general welfare of our citizens.

          The legislature finds that state and local law enforcement efforts are enhanced, and drug activity is deterred, by developing and expanding the criminal profiteering statute.  The legislature also finds that law enforcement efforts will benefit by  the creation of an ongoing staff of experts to assist in narcotic investigations.

          The legislature further finds that law enforcement investigations must be better coordinated to reduce and prevent criminal drug activity and ensure the greater safety of our citizens.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 9A.82 RCW to read as follows:

          A narcotic enforcement unit is established within the attorney general's office.  The initial unit shall consist of three attorneys, two investigators, and the necessary support staff.  It is the responsibility of the unit to:  (1) Conduct criminal narcotic profiteering investigations and prosecutions, and (2) assist in coordinating federal, state, and local interjurisdictional narcotic investigations. All fees, fines, forfeitures, penalties, reimbursements, and assessments collected as a result of action initiated by the attorney general's office under this section, except for costs, shall be remitted to the state treasurer and deposited as provided in section 3 of this act.  This section shall expire July 1, 1995.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.08 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The moneys received by the state treasurer from fees, fines, forfeitures, penalties, reimbursements, or assessments by any court organized under Title 3 or 35 RCW, or chapter 2.08 RCW, which is directed to this section, shall be deposited in the drug investigation and training account which is hereby created in the state treasury.

          (2) The money deposited in the account shall be appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of promoting and enhancing:  (a) The criminal justice training commission's local police special drug interdiction programs and local police undercover investigations, and (b) the narcotic enforcement unit of the attorney general's office.

          (3) All earnings of investments on balances in the drug investigation and training account shall be credited to the general fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     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.