VETO MESSAGE ON HB 2339

                   March 29, 2000

To the Honorable Speaker and Members,

  The House of Representatives of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am returning herewith, without my approval, House Bill No. 2339 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to violation of foreign protection orders;"

     This bill was requested by the Sentencing Guidelines Commission.  It would have made prison and jail terms for violating domestic violence protection orders issued by courts outside Washington the same as those for violating similar orders issued by courts in our state.  It also would have provided that felony violators of these "foreign" protection orders be subject to community custody after release under the Offender Accountability Act.  I strongly support these sentencing changes, and appreciate the Commission's work.

     However, the same provisions were also included in Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6400, based on the recommendations of the Governor's Domestic Violence Action Group.  The latter bill is more comprehensive and applies to additional types of court orders protecting domestic violence victims and vulnerable adults.  While the intent of these bills is the same, allowing both to become law would create confusion in our statutes because of subtle differences in drafting.  But for this problem, I would gladly have signed House Bill No. 2339.

     For these reasons I have vetoed House Bill No. 2339 in its entirety.

                   Respectfully submitted,

                   Gary Locke

                   Governor