BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to access to criminal history and driving record information by alcoholism and drug assessment and treatment agencies; and amending RCW 46.52.130 and 46.61.5056.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 46.52.130 and 1998 c 165 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

A certified abstract of the driving record shall be furnished only to the individual named in the abstract, an employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on behalf of an employer or prospective employer, the insurance carrier that has insurance in effect covering the employer or a prospective employer, the insurance carrier that has insurance in effect covering the named individual, the insurance carrier to which the named individual has applied, an alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agency approved by the department of social and health services, to which the named individual has applied or been assigned for evaluation or treatment, or city and county prosecuting attorneys. City attorneys and county prosecuting attorneys may provide the driving record to alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies approved by the department of social and health services to which the named individual has applied or been assigned for evaluation or treatment. The director, upon proper request, shall furnish a certified abstract covering the period of not more than the last three years to insurance companies. Upon proper request, the director shall furnish a certified abstract ((~~covering a period of not more than the last five years~~)) of the full driving record to state approved alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies, except that the certified abstract shall also include records of alcohol-related offenses as defined in RCW 46.01.260(2) ((~~covering a period of not more than the last ten years~~)). Upon proper request, a certified abstract of the full driving record maintained by the department shall be furnished to a city or county prosecuting attorney, to the individual named in the abstract or to an employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on behalf of an employer or prospective employer of the named individual. The abstract, whenever possible, shall include an enumeration of motor vehicle accidents in which the person was driving; the total number of vehicles involved; whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving; whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the accident; whether the accident resulted in any fatality; any reported convictions, forfeitures of bail, or findings that an infraction was committed based upon a violation of any motor vehicle law; and the status of the person's driving privilege in this state. The enumeration shall include any reports of failure to appear in response to a traffic citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served upon the named individual by an arresting officer. Certified abstracts furnished to prosecutors and alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agencies shall also indicate whether a recorded violation is an alcohol-related offense as defined in RCW 46.01.260(2) that was originally charged as one of the alcohol-related offenses designated in RCW 46.01.260(2)(b)(i).

The abstract provided to the insurance company shall exclude any information, except that related to the commission of misdemeanors or felonies by the individual, pertaining to law enforcement officers or fire fighters as defined in RCW 41.26.030, or any officer of the Washington state patrol, while driving official vehicles in the performance of occupational duty. The abstract provided to the insurance company shall include convictions for RCW 46.61.5249 and 46.61.525 except that the abstract shall report them only as negligent driving without reference to whether they are for first or second degree negligent driving. The abstract provided to the insurance company shall exclude any deferred prosecution under RCW 10.05.060, except that if a person is removed from a deferred prosecution under RCW 10.05.090, the abstract shall show the deferred prosecution as well as the removal.

The director shall collect for each abstract the sum of four dollars and fifty cents which shall be deposited in the highway safety fund.

Any insurance company or its agent receiving the certified abstract shall use it exclusively for its own underwriting purposes and shall not divulge any of the information contained in it to a third party. No policy of insurance may be canceled, nonrenewed, denied, or have the rate increased on the basis of such information unless the policyholder was determined to be at fault. No insurance company or its agent for underwriting purposes relating to the operation of commercial motor vehicles may use any information contained in the abstract relative to any person's operation of motor vehicles while not engaged in such employment, nor may any insurance company or its agent for underwriting purposes relating to the operation of noncommercial motor vehicles use any information contained in the abstract relative to any person's operation of commercial motor vehicles.

Any employer or prospective employer or an agent acting on behalf of an employer or prospective employer receiving the certified abstract shall use it exclusively for his or her own purpose to determine whether the licensee should be permitted to operate a commercial vehicle or school bus upon the public highways of this state and shall not divulge any information contained in it to a third party.

Any alcohol/drug assessment or treatment agency approved by the department of social and health services receiving the certified abstract shall use it exclusively for the purpose of assisting its employees in making a determination as to what level of treatment, if any, is appropriate. The agency, or any of its employees, shall not divulge any information contained in the abstract to a third party.

Release of a certified abstract of the driving record of an employee or prospective employee requires a statement signed by: (1) The employee or prospective employee that authorizes the release of the record, and (2) the employer attesting that the information is necessary to determine whether the licensee should be employed to operate a commercial vehicle or school bus upon the public highways of this state. If the employer or prospective employer authorizes an agent to obtain this information on their behalf, this must be noted in the statement.

Any violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor.

Sec. 2. RCW 46.61.5056 and 1995 c 332 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A person subject to alcohol assessment and treatment under RCW 46.61.5055 shall be required by the court to complete a course in an alcohol information school approved by the department of social and health services or to complete more intensive treatment in a program approved by the department of social and health services, as determined by the court. The court shall notify the department of licensing whenever it orders a person to complete a course or treatment program under this section.

(2) A diagnostic evaluation and treatment recommendation shall be prepared under the direction of the court by an alcoholism agency approved by the department of social and health services or a qualified probation department approved by the department of social and health services. Prior to completion of the report, the alcoholism agency shall obtain a complete criminal history from the Washington state patrol. A copy of the report shall be forwarded to the department of licensing. Based on the diagnostic evaluation, the court shall determine whether the person shall be required to complete a course in an alcohol information school approved by the department of social and health services or more intensive treatment in a program approved by the department of social and health services.

(3) Standards for approval for alcohol treatment programs shall be prescribed by the department of social and health services. The department of social and health services shall periodically review the costs of alcohol information schools and treatment programs.

(4) Any agency that provides treatment ordered under RCW 46.61.5055, shall immediately report to the appropriate probation department where applicable, otherwise to the court, and to the department of licensing any noncompliance by a person with the conditions of his or her ordered treatment. The court shall notify the department of licensing and the department of social and health services of any failure by an agency to so report noncompliance. Any agency with knowledge of noncompliance that fails to so report shall be fined two hundred fifty dollars by the department of social and health services. Upon three such failures by an agency within one year, the department of social and health services shall revoke the agency's approval under this section.

(5) The department of licensing and the department of social and health services may adopt such rules as are necessary to carry out this section.