FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2353

                          C 46 L 00

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing criminal history records to be sent to the Washington state gambling commission.

Sponsors:  Representatives Wood, Carrell and Hurst; by request of Gambling Commission.

House Committee on Judiciary

Senate Committee on Commerce, Trade, Housing & Financial Institutions

Background:

The Washington State Gambling Commission regulates gambling activities and restrains criminal activities associated with unlawful gambling.  As part of its duties, the commission licenses individuals and entities who engage in gambling activities, such as bingo managers and distributors of gaming products.

Before issuing a license, the commission must check the criminal background of each applicant.  The commission may deny, revoke, or suspend a license for any reason it deems to be in the public interest.  For the purposes of licensing, the commission may consider any prior criminal conduct of the applicant or licensee. 

The commission obtains conviction-related information since criminal justice agencies may disseminate conviction records without restriction.  However, criminal justice agencies may only disseminate nonconviction related information under limited circumstances.

The circumstances under which a criminal justice agency may release nonconviction related data include:  (1) releasing the data to another criminal justice agency; (2) releasing the data pursuant to a statute, ordinance, executive order, or court rule; (3) releasing the data to an individual or agency pursuant to a contract to provide services related to the administration of criminal justice; and (4) releasing the data to an individual or agency for research, evaluative, or statistical activities.

Summary of Bill:

Criminal justice agencies may release nonconviction related data to the Washington State Gambling Commission for purposes related to the commission's investigation and licensing responsibilities.  Nonconviction data obtained by the commission may only be released to other criminal justice agencies.

Votes on Final Passage:

  House  97 0

Senate 37 9 (Senate amended)

House (House refused to concur)

Senate377(Senate receded)

Effective:June 8, 2000