5307-S.E

AN ACT Relating to student safety and discipline; amending RCW 9.41.280, 10.31.100, and 28A.635.060; adding a new section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 9.41.280 and 1989 c 219 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) It is unlawful for ((~~an elementary or secondary school student under the age of twenty-one knowingly~~)) a person to carry onto public or private elementary or secondary school premises, school-provided transportation, or athletic facilities leased by public or private schools:

(a) Any firearm; or

(b) Any dangerous weapon as defined in RCW 9.41.250; or

(c) Any device commonly known as "nun-chu-ka sticks", consisting of two or more lengths of wood, metal, plastic, or similar substance connected with wire, rope, or other means; or

(d) Any device, commonly known as "throwing stars", which are multi-pointed, metal objects designed to embed upon impact from any aspect; or

(e) Any air gun, including any air pistol or air rifle, designed to propel a BB, pellet, or other projectile by the discharge of compressed air, carbon dioxide, or other gas.

(2) Any such ((~~student~~)) person violating subsection (1) of this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Any violation of subsection (1) of this section by elementary or secondary school students constitutes grounds for expulsion from the state's public schools for the remainder of the school year in which the violation occurs.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to:

(a) Any student or employee of a private military academy; or

(b) Any ((~~student~~)) person engaged in military, law enforcement, or school district security activities((~~, sponsored by the federal or state governments while engaged in official duties~~)); or

(c) Any ((~~student~~)) person who is ((~~attending~~)) involved in a convention, showing, demonstration, lecture, or firearms safety course authorized by school authorities in which the firearms of collectors or instructors are handled or displayed; or

(d) Any ((~~student~~)) person who possesses nun-chu-ka sticks, throwing stars, or other dangerous weapons to be used in martial arts classes authorized to be conducted on the school premises; ((or))

(e) Any ((~~student~~)) person while the ((~~student~~)) person is participating in a firearms or air gun competition approved by the school or school district;

(f) A parent, grandparent, or legal guardian who has been issued a license under RCW 9.41.070, while picking up or dropping off a student;

(g) Any person legally in possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon that is secured within an attended vehicle or concealed from view within a locked unattended vehicle;

(h) Any person who is in lawful possession of an unloaded, secured firearm in a vehicle;

(i) Any law enforcement officer of any federal, state, or local government agency; or

(j) Pursuant to 18 USC 922, "GUN-FREE ZONE" signs shall be posted around school facilities giving warning of the prohibition of the possession of firearms on school grounds.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:

Each school district and private school shall report by January 31st of each year all known incidents involving the possession of weapons on school premises, transportation systems, or athletic facilities in violation of RCW 9.41.280 in the year preceding the report. The superintendent shall compile the data and report it to the house of representatives, the senate, and the governor.

Sec. 3. RCW 28A.635.060 and 1989 c 269 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Any pupil who shall deface or otherwise injure any school property, shall be liable to suspension and punishment. Any school district whose property has been lost or willfully cut, defaced, or injured, may withhold the grades, diploma, and transcripts of the pupil responsible for the damage or loss until the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian has paid for the damages, unless the student is transferring to another elementary or secondary educational institution, in which case the student's permanent record shall be released promptly to the receiving school. When the pupil and parent or guardian are unable to pay for the damages, the school district shall provide a program of voluntary work for the pupil in lieu of the payment of monetary damages. Upon completion of voluntary work the grades, diploma, and transcripts of the pupil shall be released. The parent or guardian of such pupil shall be liable for damages as otherwise provided by law.

(2) Before any penalties are assessed under this section, a school district board of directors shall adopt procedures which insure that pupils' rights to due process are protected.

(3) If the department of social and health services or a child-placing agency licensed by the department has been granted custody of a child, that child's records, if requested by the department or agency, are not to be withheld for nonpayment of school fees or any other reason.

Sec. 4. RCW 10.31.100 and 1988 c 190 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

A police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a felony shall have the authority to arrest the person without a warrant. A police officer may arrest a person without a warrant for committing a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor only when the offense is committed in the presence of the officer, except as provided in subsections (1) through ((~~(8)~~)) (9) of this section.

(1) Any police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor, involving physical harm or threats of harm to any person or property or the unlawful taking of property or involving the use or possession of cannabis, or involving the acquisition, possession, or consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of twenty-one years under RCW 66.44.270 shall have the authority to arrest the person.

(2) A police officer shall arrest and take into custody, pending release on bail, personal recognizance, or court order, a person without a warrant when the officer has probable cause to believe that:

(a) An order has been issued of which the person has knowledge under RCW 10.99.040(2), 10.99.050, 26.09.060, 26.44.063, chapter 26.26 RCW, or chapter 26.50 RCW restraining the person and the person has violated the terms of the order restraining the person from acts or threats of violence or excluding the person from a residence or, in the case of an order issued under RCW 26.44.063, imposing any other restrictions or conditions upon the person; or

(b) The person is eighteen years or older and within the preceding four hours has assaulted that person's spouse, former spouse, or a person eighteen years or older with whom the person resides or has formerly resided and the officer believes: (i) A felonious assault has occurred; (ii) an assault has occurred which has resulted in bodily injury to the victim, whether the injury is observable by the responding officer or not; or (iii) that any physical action has occurred which was intended to cause another person reasonably to fear imminent serious bodily injury or death. Bodily injury means physical pain, illness, or an impairment of physical condition. When the officer has probable cause to believe that spouses, former spouses, or other persons who reside together or formerly resided together have assaulted each other, the officer is not required to arrest both persons. The officer shall arrest the person whom the officer believes to be the primary physical aggressor. In making this determination, the officer shall make every reasonable effort to consider: (i) The intent to protect victims of domestic violence under RCW 10.99.010; (ii) the comparative extent of injuries inflicted or serious threats creating fear of physical injury; and (iii) the history of domestic violence between the persons involved.

(3) Any police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a violation of any of the following traffic laws shall have the authority to arrest the person:

(a) RCW 46.52.010, relating to duty on striking an unattended car or other property;

(b) RCW 46.52.020, relating to duty in case of injury to or death of a person or damage to an attended vehicle;

(d) RCW 46.61.502 or 46.61.504, relating to persons under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs;

(e) RCW 46.20.342, relating to driving a motor vehicle while operator's license is suspended or revoked;

(f) RCW 46.61.525, relating to operating a motor vehicle in a negligent manner.

(4) A law enforcement officer investigating at the scene of a motor vehicle accident may arrest the driver of a motor vehicle involved in the accident if the officer has probable cause to believe that the driver has committed in connection with the accident a violation of any traffic law or regulation.

(5) Any police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing a violation of RCW 88.12.100 shall have the authority to arrest the person.

(6) An officer may act upon the request of a law enforcement officer in whose presence a traffic infraction was committed, to stop, detain, arrest, or issue a notice of traffic infraction to the driver who is believed to have committed the infraction. The request by the witnessing officer shall give an officer the authority to take appropriate action under the laws of the state of Washington.

(7) Any police officer having probable cause to believe that a person has committed or is committing any act of indecent exposure, as defined in RCW 9A.88.010, may arrest the person.

(8) A police officer may arrest and take into custody, pending release on bail, personal recognizance, or court order, a person without a warrant when the officer has probable cause to believe that an order has been issued of which the person has knowledge under chapter 10.14 RCW and the person has violated the terms of that order.

(9) A police officer having probable cause to believe that a person illegally possesses or illegally has possessed a firearm or other dangerous weapon on private or public elementary or secondary school premises shall have the authority to arrest the person.

(10) Except as specifically provided in subsections (2), (3), (4), and (6) of this section, nothing in this section extends or otherwise affects the powers of arrest prescribed in Title 46 RCW.

((~~(10)~~)) (11) No police officer may be held criminally or civilly liable for making an arrest pursuant to RCW 10.31.100(2) or (8) if the police officer acts in good faith and without malice.