S-3732               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6677

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Patrick, Nelson, Thorsness, Vognild, McCaslin, Conner, Smith, Warnke, Bauer, West and Lee

Read first time 1/22/90 and referred to Committee on  Law & Justice.

AN ACT Relating to law enforcement officers who die in the line of duty; amending RCW 28B.15.380; and adding a new chapter to Title 41 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     There is established a decoration of the state law enforcement medal of honor with accompanying ribbons and appurtenances for award by the governor in the name of the state to any law enforcement officer who has been seriously injured or killed while in the performance of duty, or who has been distinguished by exceptionally meritorious conduct, upon nomination of the governor's state law enforcement medal of honor committee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     There is created the state law enforcement medal of honor committee for nominating candidates for the award of the state law enforcement medal of honor.  The committee membership consists of a representative from the governors office, the Washington state law enforcement association, the Washington state council of police officers, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, and the Washington state troopers association.  The attorney general shall serve as chair of the committee and shall designate a secretary for the committee.  The committee shall meet not less than semiannually to consider candidates for nomination.  The committee shall adopt rules establishing the qualifications for the state law enforcement medal of honor, the protocol governing the decoration, and the appurtenances necessary to the implementation of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The state law enforcement medal of honor shall be awarded to recipients during the national law enforcement recognition week.    The governor may delegate the awarding of the medal to the lieutenant governor or the attorney general.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The state law enforcement medal of honor may be awarded posthumously to be presented to the representative of the deceased as may be deemed appropriate by the governor or the designees specified in section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     The decoration of the state law enforcement medal of honor shall be bronze and shall consist of a police shield overlaid by a sheriffs star with the seal of the state of Washington in the center and the words "law enforcement medal of honor" within the design and suspended from a ring attached by either a navy blue ribbon with a gold edge or a green ribbon with a gold edge.  Such color choice shall be the recipients.  The reverse of the decoration shall be inscribed with the words "For exceptionally honorable and meritorious conduct in performing services as a law enforcement officer."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     Any law enforcement officer who lost his or her life or became totally disabled while performing duties as a law enforcement officer shall automatically be nominated by the state law enforcement medal of honor committee.

          Children eighteen years of age and older and the spouse of any law enforcement officer who was killed or totally disabled in the line of duty shall be entitled to exemption from payment of fees at state colleges and universities as provided under RCW 28B.15.380.

        Sec. 7.  Section 28B.15.380, chapter 223, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as last amended by section 23, chapter 390, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28B.15.380 are each amended to read as follows:

          In addition to any other exemptions as may be provided by law, the board of regents at the state colleges and universities may exempt the following classes of persons from the payment of tuition fees or services and activities fees except for individual instruction fees:  (1) All veterans as defined in RCW 41.04.005:  PROVIDED, That such persons are no longer entitled to federal vocational or educational benefits conferred by virtue of their military service:  AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That if any such veterans have not resided in this state for one year prior to registration said board may exempt them up to one-half of the tuition payable by other nonresident students:  AND, PROVIDED FURTHER, That such exemptions shall be provided only to those persons otherwise covered who were enrolled in universities on or before October 1, 1977.  (2) Children after the age of ((nineteen)) seventeen years and the spouse of any law enforcement officer or fire fighter who lost his or her life or became totally disabled in the line of duty while employed by any public law enforcement agency or full time or volunteer fire department in this state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8.     Sections, 1 through 6 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 41 RCW.