CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

                  SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5010

 

 

                    Chapter 72, Laws of 1999

 

 

                        56th Legislature

                      1999 Regular Session

 

 

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT BY EMPLOYEES OF CUSTODIAL AGENCIES

 

 

 

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  7/25/99

Passed by the Senate March 12, 1999

  YEAS 48   NAYS 0

 

 

               BRAD OWEN

President of the Senate

 

Passed by the House April 9, 1999

  YEAS 93   NAYS 0

             CERTIFICATE

 

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is  SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5010 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

             CLYDE BALLARD

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

            TONY M. COOK

                            Secretary

 

 

 

              FRANK CHOPP

Speaker of the

      House of Representatives

 

 

Approved April 22, 1999 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.  

                                FILED          

 

 

           April 22, 1999 - 3:34 p.m.

 

 

 

              GARY LOCKE

Governor of the State of Washington

                 Secretary of State

                 State of Washington


          _______________________________________________

 

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5010

          _______________________________________________

 

             Passed Legislature - 1999 Regular Session

 

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl‑Welles, Hargrove, Long, Goings, Swecker, Winsley, Oke, Benton and Costa)

 

Read first time 02/08/1999.

Providing disciplinary sanctions for sexual misconduct by employees of custodial agencies.  


    AN ACT Relating to sexual misconduct by employees of custodial agencies; adding a new section to chapter 13.40 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 72.09 RCW; and creating a new section.

 

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

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 13.40 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) When the secretary has reasonable cause to believe that sexual intercourse or sexual contact between an employee and an offender has occurred, notwithstanding any rule adopted under chapter 41.06 RCW the secretary shall immediately suspend the employee.

    (2) The secretary shall immediately institute proceedings to terminate the employment of any person:

    (a) Who is found by the department, based on a preponderance of the evidence, to have had sexual intercourse or sexual contact with the offender; or

    (b) Upon a guilty plea or conviction for any crime specified in chapter 9A.44 RCW when the victim was an offender.

    (3) When the secretary has reasonable cause to believe that sexual intercourse or sexual contact between the employee of a contractor and an offender has occurred, the secretary shall require the employee of a contractor to be immediately removed from any employment position which would permit the employee to have any access to any offender.

    (4) The secretary shall disqualify for employment with a contractor in any position with access to an offender, any person:

    (a) Who is found by the department, based on a preponderance of the evidence, to have had sexual intercourse or sexual contact with the offender; or

    (b) Upon a guilty plea or conviction for any crime specified in chapter 9A.44 RCW when the victim was an offender.

    (5) The secretary, when considering the renewal of a contract with a contractor who has taken action under subsection (3) or (4) of this section, shall require the contractor to demonstrate that there has been significant progress made in reducing the likelihood that any of its employees will have sexual intercourse or sexual contact with an offender.  The secretary shall examine whether the contractor has taken steps to improve hiring, training, and monitoring practices and whether the employee remains with the contractor.  The secretary shall not renew a contract unless he or she determines that significant progress has been made.

    (6)(a) For the purposes of RCW 50.20.060, a person terminated under this section shall be considered discharged for misconduct.

    (b)(i) The department may, within its discretion or upon request of any member of the public, release information to an individual or to the public regarding any person or contract terminated under this section.

    (ii) An appointed or elected public official, public employee, or public agency as defined in RCW 4.24.470 is immune from civil liability for damages for any discretionary release of relevant and necessary information, unless it is shown that the official, employee, or agency acted with gross negligence or in bad faith.  The immunity provided under this section applies to the release of relevant and necessary information to other public officials, public employees, or public agencies, and to the public.

    (iii) Except as provided in chapter 42.17 RCW, or elsewhere, nothing in this section shall impose any liability upon a public official, public employee, or public agency for failing to release information authorized under this section.  Nothing in this section implies that information regarding persons designated in subsection (2) of this section is confidential except as may otherwise be provided by law.

    (7) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.  The rules shall reflect the legislative intent that this section prohibits individuals who are employed by the department or a contractor of the department from having sexual intercourse or sexual contact with offenders.  The rules shall also reflect the legislative intent that when a person is employed by the department or a contractor of the department, and has sexual intercourse or sexual contact with an offender against the employed person's will, the termination provisions of this section shall not be invoked.

    (8) As used in this section:

    (a) "Contractor" includes all subcontractors of a contractor;

    (b) "Offender" means a person under the jurisdiction or supervision of the department; and

    (c) "Sexual intercourse" and "sexual contact" have the meanings provided in RCW 9A.44.010.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 72.09 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) When the secretary has reasonable cause to believe that sexual intercourse or sexual contact between an employee and an inmate has occurred, notwithstanding any rule adopted under chapter 41.06 RCW the secretary shall immediately suspend the employee.

    (2) The secretary shall immediately institute proceedings to terminate the employment of any person:

    (a) Who is found by the department, based on a preponderance of the evidence, to have had sexual intercourse or sexual contact with the inmate; or

    (b) Upon a guilty plea or conviction for any crime specified in chapter 9A.44 RCW when the victim was an inmate.

    (3) When the secretary has reasonable cause to believe that sexual intercourse or sexual contact between the employee of a contractor and an inmate has occurred, the secretary shall require the employee of a contractor to be immediately removed from any employment position which would permit the employee to have any access to any inmate.

    (4) The secretary shall disqualify for employment with a contractor in any position with access to an inmate, any person:

    (a) Who is found by the department, based on a preponderance of the evidence, to have had sexual intercourse or sexual contact with the inmate; or

    (b) Upon a guilty plea or conviction for any crime specified in chapter 9A.44 RCW when the victim was an inmate.

    (5) The secretary, when considering the renewal of a contract with a contractor who has taken action under subsection (3) or (4) of this section, shall require the contractor to demonstrate that there has been significant progress made in reducing the likelihood that any of its employees will have sexual intercourse or sexual contact with an inmate.  The secretary shall examine whether the contractor has taken steps to improve hiring, training, and monitoring practices and whether the employee remains with the contractor.  The secretary shall not renew a contract unless he or she determines that significant progress has been made.

    (6)(a) For the purposes of RCW 50.20.060, a person terminated under this section shall be considered discharged for misconduct.

    (b)(i) The department may, within its discretion or upon request of any member of the public, release information to an individual or to the public regarding any person or contract terminated under this section.

    (ii) An appointed or elected public official, public employee, or public agency as defined in RCW 4.24.470 is immune from civil liability for damages for any discretionary release of relevant and necessary information, unless it is shown that the official, employee, or agency acted with gross negligence or in bad faith.  The immunity provided under this section applies to the release of relevant and necessary information to other public officials, public employees, or public agencies, and to the public.

    (iii) Except as provided in chapter 42.17 RCW, or elsewhere, nothing in this section shall impose any liability upon a public official, public employee, or public agency for failing to release information authorized under this section.  Nothing in this section implies that information regarding persons designated in subsection (2) of this section is confidential except as may otherwise be provided by law.

    (7) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.  The rules shall reflect the legislative intent that this section prohibits individuals who are employed by the department or a contractor of the department from having sexual intercourse or sexual contact with inmates.  The rules shall also reflect the legislative intent that when a person is employed by the department or a contractor of the department, and has sexual intercourse or sexual contact with an inmate against the employed person's will, the termination provisions of this section shall not be invoked.

    (8) As used in this section:

    (a) "Contractor" includes all subcontractors of a contractor;

    (b) "Inmate" means an inmate as defined in RCW 72.09.015 or a person under the supervision of the department; and

    (c) "Sexual intercourse" and "sexual contact" have the meanings provided in RCW 9A.44.010.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  Nothing in section 1 or 2 of this act affects any collective bargaining agreement in place on the effective date of this act.


    Passed the Senate March 12, 1999.

    Passed the House April 9, 1999.

Approved by the Governor April 22, 1999.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 22, 1999.