HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1872

                  As Amended by the Senate

Title:  An act relating to granting state‑wide warrant jurisdiction to courts of limited jurisdiction.

Brief Description:  Granting state‑wide warrant jurisdiction to courts of limited jurisdiction.

Sponsors:  Representatives Hurst, Lambert, Lovick, O'Brien and Carrell.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Judiciary:  2/23/99, 2/26/99 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/15/99, 93-0.

Senate Amended.

Passed Senate:  4/15/99, 44-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Grants a court of limited jurisdiction the authority to take recognizance, approve bail, and arraign defendants on warrants issued by courts of limited jurisdiction from other jurisdictions.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Carrell, Republican Co-Chair; Constantine, Democratic Co-Chair; Hurst, Democratic Vice Chair; Lambert, Republican Vice Chair; Cox; Dickerson; Esser; Lantz; Lovick; McDonald and Schindler.

Staff:  Jim Morishima (786-7191).

Background:

Warrants issued by a superior court are enforceable throughout the state.  However, warrants issued by a court of limited jurisdiction (a district court or municipal court) are only enforceable within the jurisdiction of the issuing court.  In other words, a municipal court in King County may not enforce a warrant issued by a municipal court in Spokane County.

Summary of Bill:

A court of limited jurisdiction may take recognizance, approve bail, and arraign defendants on warrants issued by courts of limited jurisdiction from other jurisdictions.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S): The provisions of the bill granting courts of limited jurisdiction the power to take recognizance, approve bail, and arraign defendants on warrants issued by courts of limited jurisdiction from other jurisdictions are removed.

The Legislature must create a task force to study the granting of state-wide warrant jurisdiction to courts of limited jurisdiction.  The task force must study whether granting courts of limited jurisdiction the power to take recognizance, approve bail, and arraign defendants on warrants issued by courts of limited jurisdiction from other jurisdictions would be beneficial to the state.  The task force must also: 1) make recommendations on implementing such jurisdiction; 2) consider the impact of granting such jurisdiction on county jail populations; and 3) study any other relevant matters that may arise.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 19, 1999.

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

Testimony For:  Many warrants are not executed because many jurisdictions are unwilling to pay the expenses associated with extraditing a defendant.  This bill would save time and money by allowing a court of limited jurisdiction to resolve certain matters involving arrest warrants regardless of where the warrant was issued.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Hurst, prime sponsor; and Melanie Stewart, District and Municipal Court Judges Association.