SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5468
As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Human Services & Corrections, February 22, 2001
Title: An act relating to the chemical dependency disposition alternative.
Brief Description: Revising the chemical dependency disposition alternative.
Sponsors: Senators Costa, Long, Hargrove and Kohl‑Welles; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Human Services & Corrections: 2/9/01, 2/22/01 [DPS].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5468 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Costa, Vice Chair; Carlson, Franklin, Hewitt, Kastama, Kohl‑Welles, Long and Stevens.
Staff: Edith Rice (786‑7444)
Background: The Chemical Dependency Disposition Alternative (CDDA) is available to juveniles and allows the court to suspend the sentence and place a juvenile offender on community supervision and other sanctions for up to a year on the condition that the offender undergo drug or alcohol treatment. The CDDA Advisory Committee requested the changes proposed in order to allow more juvenile offenders to be considered for this alternative.
Summary of Substitute Bill: It is clarified that courts may consider substance abusers eligible for this alternative in addition to those who are chemically dependent. Courts are allowed to consider first time B+ offenders under RCW 69.50. The proposed treatment plan no longer requires a determination of whether the respondent is amenable to treatment, and separates out the 30 days detention time from the 90-day inpatient treatment time in order to prevent time served from decreasing needed inpatient treatment time.
The defendant is responsible for paying for the first examination and the requesting party is responsible for paying for the second examination. If the defendant is indigent and no insurance is available, the state pays the cost.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Additional language clarifies that the defendant is responsible for paying for the first examination. The requesting party is responsible for paying for the second examination. If the defendant is indigent and no insurance is available, the state pays the cost.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on February 5, 2001.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: More juvenile offenders will be eligible for this sentencing alternative allowing them access to treatment sooner, without expending additional state funds.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: Cheryl Stephani, Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, Department of Social and Health Services (pro); Mark Wirschem, King County Superior Court, Juvenile Court (pro).