HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 6054

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to dental identification.

Brief Description:  Concerning the Washington state patrol's dental identification system.

Sponsors:  Senator Loveland.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, February 22, 1994, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 24 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Jones, Vice Chair; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Mielke, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Brumsickle; Cothern; Eide; Finkbeiner; Forner; Fuhrman; Hansen; Heavey; Horn; Johanson; J. Kohl; Orr; Quall; Romero; Sheldon; Shin; Wood and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Brad Lovaas (786-7307).

Background:  The Washington State Patrol (WSP) Identification Section provides a central repository for missing persons who are reported by local law enforcement agencies.  When people are listed as missing, local law enforcement agencies try to obtain the missing individual's dental records and forward them to the WSP for entry into a computer database. 

When an unidentified body is discovered, the dental records are used as a means of identification.

Summary of Bill:  An appropriation is provided to the Washington State Patrol for the purposes of contracting with a forensic dental adviser.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Appropriation:  $25,000 from the general fund

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This appropriation would be used to compensate a forensic dental advisor who has been providing this service on a volunteer basis.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Tim Erickson, Washington State Patrol.sk