HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1067

As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to the commissioning and training of railroad police.

Brief Description: Revising provisions relating to the commissioning and training of railroad police.

Sponsors:  Representatives O'Brien, Ballasiotes, Delvin, Lovick and Haigh; by request of Criminal Justice Training Commission.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Criminal Justice & Corrections:  1/24/01, 1/31/01 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/27/01, 92-0.

Passed Senate: 4/5/01, 48-0.

Passed Legislature.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Transfers the responsibility of commissioning and training railroad police from the Governor to the Criminal Justice Training Commission.

$Requires that railroad police complete a course of training prescribed or approved by the Criminal Justice Training Commission.

$Allows railroad police officers to either wear a badge or carry official credentials.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. Signed by 8 members: Representatives Ballasiotes, Republican Co‑Chair; O'Brien, Democratic Co‑Chair; Ahern, Republican Vice Chair; Lovick, Democratic Vice Chair; Cairnes, Kagi, Kirby and Morell.

Staff:  Katy Freeman (786‑7386).

Background:

The Governor has the responsibility of appointing and commissioning railroad police officers.  Once appointed and commissioned, regulations provide that the officers must either complete a course of training prescribed by the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) or complete an alternative training program.  The railroad corporation is not required to pay for the cost of training the officers. 

Railroad police officers are required to wear a metal shield in plain view while on duty.

Summary of Bill:

The responsibility of commissioning and training railroad police is transferred from the Governor to the CJTC.

A railroad police officer is required to complete a course of training prescribed or approved by the CJTC.  The corporation requesting the appointment of a railroad police officer must pay for the full cost of training.

While on duty, a railroad police officer may either wear a badge in plain view or carry official credentials and present them when requested.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  The railroad police officers have a variety of duties and it is important that they are well trained.  This bill gives the CJTC some control of training the officers and also ensures that all of the officers are well trained.  The CJTC=s standards of training the officers will be higher than the current standards.  Because the railroad corporations will pay for the training, the training results in no additional cost to taxpayers.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Michael Parsons and Sharon Tolton, Criminal Justice Training Commission; and Larry Erickson, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.