H-4185.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2657

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Quall and O'Brien

Read first time 01/19/98.  Referred to Committee on .

Creating sentencing guidelines for the sale of various amounts of controlled substances.

    AN ACT Relating to sentencing requirements for nonviolent offenders who violate drug laws; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislative committee on criminal sentencing options available for drug offenders is created.

    The purpose of the committee is to review adult criminal justice sentencing options available for drug offenders who possess or sell controlled substances and offenders who may be chemically dependent.

    In conducting the review, the committee must meet with representatives from local law enforcement agencies, judges, defense attorneys, prosecutors, representatives from the department of corrections, representatives from the juvenile rehabilitation administration, and representatives from the state and county drug and alcohol substance abuse and treatment programs, and the committee shall solicit the views and technical assistance of substance abuse experts in corrections disciplines.

    (2) The committee shall consist of twelve members, appointed in the following manner:

    (a) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint six members to the committee as follows:

    Three members from each of the caucuses of the house of representatives, of whom three members must be from the house of representatives committee on law and justice and three members must be from the house of representatives committee on criminal justice and corrections.

    (b) The president of the senate shall appoint six members of the committee as follows:

    Three members from each of the caucuses of the senate, of whom three members must be from the senate law and justice committee and three members must be from the senate human services and corrections committee.

    The members of the committee shall elect cochairs, one who is a member of the house of representatives and one who is a member of the senate.

    Staff support for the committee shall be provided by the office of program research in the house of representatives and by senate committee services in the senate.

    (3) The committee's final report and recommendations for legislation shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate by December 31, 1998.

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