SB 5477 -
By Senator Kline
WITHDRAWN 03/15/2005
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 It is the intent of the legislature to
restore the ability to impose an aggravated sentence lost by the
superior court as a result of the decision of the United States supreme
court in Blakely v. State of Washington, 542 U.S. ... (2004). The
legislature finds that as the seriousness level of the crime and the
criminal history of the offender increase, the need for an
individualized and informed assessment of the circumstances of the
crime, the offender, and the victim, by the judiciary, is necessary for
justice to be obtained. The legislature further finds that the
exercise of the judiciary's sentencing discretion over a broader range
based upon the assessment of these circumstances is consistent with the
policies supporting Washington's sentencing reform act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 9.94A RCW
to read as follows:
(1) For offenders convicted of a violent offense, the upper limit
of the standard sentencing range shall be advisory only.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the maximum sentence that
a court may impose for a violent offense is the maximum sentence for
the current offense under chapter 9A.20 RCW, or twice the upper limit
of the standard sentencing range, whichever is less. This provision
shall not apply to any offender sentenced under RCW 9.94A.712 or
section 7 of this act.
(2) In making its determination of the sentence length to be
imposed, the court shall consider the risk assessment prepared by the
department of corrections, the presentence report and other materials
provided by the offender, and any information provided by the victim or
victims of the crime.
(3) A sentence imposed under this section shall be a determinate
sentence unless it is imposed on an offender sentenced under RCW
9.94A.712. The sentence may be appealed by the offender or the state
as set forth in RCW 9.94A.585 (2) through (6).
Sec. 3 RCW 9.94A.480 and 2002 c 290 s 16 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) A current, newly created or reworked judgment and sentence
document for each felony sentencing shall record any and all
recommended sentencing agreements or plea agreements and the sentences
for any and all felony crimes kept as public records under RCW
9.94A.475 shall contain the clearly printed name and legal signature of
the sentencing judge. The judgment and sentence document as defined in
this section shall also provide additional space for the sentencing
judge's reasons, if any, for going either above or below the
presumptive or advisory sentence range for any and all felony crimes
covered as public records under RCW 9.94A.475. Both the sentencing
judge and the prosecuting attorney's office shall each retain or
receive a completed copy of each sentencing document as defined in this
section for their own records.
(2) The sentencing guidelines commission shall be sent a completed
copy of the judgment and sentence document upon conviction for each
felony sentencing under subsection (1) of this section and shall
compile a yearly and cumulative judicial record of each sentencing
judge in regards to his or her sentencing practices for any and all
felony crimes involving:
(a) Any violent offense as defined in this chapter;
(b) Any most serious offense as defined in this chapter;
(c) Any felony with any deadly weapon special verdict under RCW
9.94A.602;
(d) Any felony with any deadly weapon enhancements under RCW
9.94A.533 (3) or (4), or both; and/or
(e) The felony crimes of possession of a machine gun, possessing a
stolen firearm, drive-by shooting, theft of a firearm, unlawful
possession of a firearm in the first or second degree, and/or use of a
machine gun in a felony.
(3) The sentencing guidelines commission shall compare each
individual judge's sentencing practices to the standard ((or)),
presumptive, or advisory sentence range for any and all felony crimes
listed in subsection (2) of this section for the appropriate offense
level as defined in RCW 9.94A.515 or 9.94A.518, offender score as
defined in RCW 9.94A.525, and any applicable deadly weapon enhancements
as defined in RCW 9.94A.533 (3) or (4), or both. These comparative
records shall be retained and made available to the public for review
in a current, newly created or reworked official published document by
the sentencing guidelines commission.
(4) Any and all felony sentences which are either above or below
the standard ((or)), presumptive, or advisory sentence range in
subsection (3) of this section shall also mark whether the prosecuting
attorney in the case also recommended a similar sentence, if any, which
was either above or below the standard, presumptive, or advisory
sentence range and shall also indicate if the sentence was in
conjunction with an approved alternative sentencing option including a
first-time offender waiver, sex offender sentencing alternative, or
other prescribed sentencing option.
(5) If any completed judgment and sentence document as defined in
subsection (1) of this section is not sent to the sentencing guidelines
commission as required in subsection (2) of this section, the
sentencing guidelines commission shall have the authority and shall
undertake reasonable and necessary steps to assure that all past,
current, and future sentencing documents as defined in subsection (1)
of this section are received by the sentencing guidelines commission.
Sec. 4 RCW 9.94A.505 and 2002 c 290 s 17, 2002 c 289 s 6, and
2002 c 175 s 6 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) When a person is convicted of a felony, the court shall impose
punishment as provided in this chapter.
(2)(a) The court shall impose a sentence as provided in the
following sections and as applicable in the case:
(i) Unless another term of confinement applies, the court shall
impose a sentence within the standard sentence range established in RCW
9.94A.510 or 9.94A.517;
(ii) RCW 9.94A.700 and 9.94A.705, relating to community placement;
(iii) RCW 9.94A.710 and 9.94A.715, relating to community custody;
(iv) RCW 9.94A.545, relating to community custody for offenders
whose term of confinement is one year or less;
(v) RCW 9.94A.570, relating to persistent offenders;
(vi) RCW 9.94A.540, relating to mandatory minimum terms;
(vii) RCW 9.94A.650, relating to the first-time offender waiver;
(viii) RCW 9.94A.660, relating to the drug offender sentencing
alternative;
(ix) RCW 9.94A.670, relating to the special sex offender sentencing
alternative;
(x) RCW 9.94A.712, relating to certain sex offenses;
(xi) RCW 9.94A.535, relating to exceptional sentences;
(xii) RCW 9.94A.589, relating to consecutive and concurrent
sentences;
(xiii) Section 2 of this act relating to violent offenses.
(b) If a standard sentence range has not been established for the
offender's crime, the court shall impose a determinate sentence which
may include not more than one year of confinement; community
restitution work; until July 1, 2000, a term of community supervision
not to exceed one year and on and after July 1, 2000, a term of
community custody not to exceed one year, subject to conditions and
sanctions as authorized in RCW 9.94A.710 (2) and (3); and/or other
legal financial obligations. The court may impose a sentence which
provides more than one year of confinement if the court finds reasons
justifying an exceptional sentence as provided in RCW 9.94A.535.
(3) If the court imposes a sentence requiring confinement of thirty
days or less, the court may, in its discretion, specify that the
sentence be served on consecutive or intermittent days. A sentence
requiring more than thirty days of confinement shall be served on
consecutive days. Local jail administrators may schedule court-ordered
intermittent sentences as space permits.
(4) If a sentence imposed includes payment of a legal financial
obligation, it shall be imposed as provided in RCW 9.94A.750,
9.94A.753, 9.94A.760, and 43.43.7541.
(5) Except as provided under RCW 9.94A.750(4) and 9.94A.753(4), a
court may not impose a sentence providing for a term of confinement or
community supervision, community placement, or community custody which
exceeds the statutory maximum for the crime as provided in chapter
9A.20 RCW.
(6) The sentencing court shall give the offender credit for all
confinement time served before the sentencing if that confinement was
solely in regard to the offense for which the offender is being
sentenced.
(7) The court shall order restitution as provided in RCW 9.94A.750
and 9.94A.753.
(8) As a part of any sentence, the court may impose and enforce
crime-related prohibitions and affirmative conditions as provided in
this chapter.
(9) The court may order an offender whose sentence includes
community placement or community supervision to undergo a mental status
evaluation and to participate in available outpatient mental health
treatment, if the court finds that reasonable grounds exist to believe
that the offender is a mentally ill person as defined in RCW 71.24.025,
and that this condition is likely to have influenced the offense. An
order requiring mental status evaluation or treatment must be based on
a presentence report and, if applicable, mental status evaluations that
have been filed with the court to determine the offender's competency
or eligibility for a defense of insanity. The court may order
additional evaluations at a later date if deemed appropriate.
(10) In any sentence of partial confinement, the court may require
the offender to serve the partial confinement in work release, in a
program of home detention, on work crew, or in a combined program of
work crew and home detention.
(11) In sentencing an offender convicted of a crime of domestic
violence, as defined in RCW 10.99.020, if the offender has a minor
child, or if the victim of the offense for which the offender was
convicted has a minor child, the court may, as part of any term of
community supervision, community placement, or community custody, order
the offender to participate in a domestic violence perpetrator program
approved under RCW 26.50.150.
Sec. 5 RCW 9.94A.530 and 2002 c 290 s 18 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The intersection of the column defined by the offender score
and the row defined by the offense seriousness score determines the
standard sentence range (see RCW 9.94A.510, (Table 1) and RCW
9.94A.517, (Table 3)). The additional time for deadly weapon findings
or for ((those offenses enumerated)) other adjustments as specified in
RCW 9.94A.533(((4) that were committed in a state correctional facility
or county jail)) shall be added to the entire standard sentence range.
The court may impose any sentence within the range that it deems
appropriate. All standard sentence ranges are expressed in terms of
total confinement.
(2) In determining any sentence other than a sentence above the
standard range, the trial court may rely on no more information than is
admitted by the plea agreement, or admitted, acknowledged, or proved in
a trial or at the time of sentencing, or proven pursuant to section 7
of this act. Acknowledgement includes not objecting to information
stated in the presentence reports. Where the defendant disputes
material facts, the court must either not consider the fact or grant an
evidentiary hearing on the point. The facts shall be deemed proved at
the hearing by a preponderance of the evidence, except as otherwise
specified in section 7 of this act.
(3) In determining any sentence above the standard sentence range,
the court shall follow the procedures set forth in section 7 of this
act. Facts that establish the elements of a more serious crime or
additional crimes may not be used to go outside the standard sentence
range except upon stipulation or when specifically provided for in RCW
9.94A.535(2) (d), (e), (g), and (h).
Sec. 6 RCW 9.94A.535 and 2003 c 267 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
The court may impose a sentence outside the standard sentence range
for an offense if it finds, considering the purpose of this chapter,
that there are substantial and compelling reasons justifying an
exceptional sentence. Facts supporting aggravated sentences, other
than the fact of a prior conviction, shall be determined pursuant to
the provisions of section 7 of this act.
Whenever a sentence outside the standard sentence range is imposed,
the court shall set forth the reasons for its decision in written
findings of fact and conclusions of law. A sentence outside the
standard sentence range shall be a determinate sentence ((unless it is
imposed on an offender sentenced under RCW 9.94A.712. An exceptional
sentence imposed on an offender sentenced under RCW 9.94A.712 shall be
to a minimum term set by the court and a maximum term equal to the
statutory maximum sentence for the offense of conviction under chapter
9A.20 RCW)).
If the sentencing court finds that an exceptional sentence outside
the standard sentence range should be imposed, the sentence is subject
to review only as provided for in RCW 9.94A.585(4).
A departure from the standards in RCW 9.94A.589 (1) and (2)
governing whether sentences are to be served consecutively or
concurrently is an exceptional sentence subject to the limitations in
this section, and may be appealed by the offender or the state as set
forth in RCW 9.94A.585 (2) through (6).
((The following are illustrative factors which the court may
consider in the exercise of its discretion to impose an exceptional
sentence. The following are illustrative only and are not intended to
be exclusive reasons for exceptional sentences.))
(1) Mitigating Circumstances - Court to Consider
The court may impose an exceptional sentence below the standard range
if it finds that mitigating circumstances are established by a
preponderance of the evidence. The following are illustrative only and
are not intended to be exclusive reasons for exceptional sentences.
(a) To a significant degree, the victim was an initiator, willing
participant, aggressor, or provoker of the incident.
(b) Before detection, the defendant compensated, or made a good
faith effort to compensate, the victim of the criminal conduct for any
damage or injury sustained.
(c) The defendant committed the crime under duress, coercion,
threat, or compulsion insufficient to constitute a complete defense but
which significantly affected his or her conduct.
(d) The defendant, with no apparent predisposition to do so, was
induced by others to participate in the crime.
(e) The defendant's capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his
or her conduct, or to conform his or her conduct to the requirements of
the law, was significantly impaired. Voluntary use of drugs or alcohol
is excluded.
(f) The offense was principally accomplished by another person and
the defendant manifested extreme caution or sincere concern for the
safety or well-being of the victim.
(g) The operation of the multiple offense policy of RCW 9.94A.589
results in a presumptive sentence that is clearly excessive in light of
the purpose of this chapter, as expressed in RCW 9.94A.010.
(h) The defendant or the defendant's children suffered a continuing
pattern of physical or sexual abuse by the victim of the offense and
the offense is a response to that abuse.
(2) Aggravating Circumstances - Considered and Imposed by the Court
The trial court may impose an aggravated exceptional sentence
without a finding of fact by a jury under the following circumstances:
(a) The defendant and the state both stipulate that justice is best
served by the imposition of an exceptional sentence outside the
standard range, and the court finds the exceptional sentence to be
consistent with and in furtherance of the interests of justice and the
purposes of the sentencing reform act.
(b) The defendant's prior unscored misdemeanor or prior unscored
foreign criminal history results in a presumptive sentence that is
clearly too lenient in light of the purpose of this chapter, as
expressed in RCW 9.94A.010.
(c) The defendant has committed multiple current offenses and the
defendant's high offender score results in some of the current offenses
going unpunished.
(d) The failure to consider the defendant's prior criminal history
which was omitted from the offender score calculation pursuant to RCW
9.94A.525 results in a presumptive sentence that is clearly too
lenient.
(3) Aggravating Circumstances - Considered By A Jury - Imposed by
the Court
Except for circumstances listed in subsection (2) of this section,
the following circumstances are an exclusive list of factors that can
support a sentence above the standard range. Such facts should be
determined by procedures specified in section 7 of this act.
(a) The defendant's conduct during the commission of the current
offense manifested deliberate cruelty to the victim.
(b) The defendant knew or should have known that the victim of the
current offense was particularly vulnerable or incapable of resistance
((due to extreme youth, advanced age, disability, or ill health)).
(c) The current offense was a violent offense, and the defendant
knew that the victim of the current offense was pregnant.
(d) The current offense was a major economic offense or series of
offenses, so identified by a consideration of any of the following
factors:
(i) The current offense involved multiple victims or multiple
incidents per victim;
(ii) The current offense involved attempted or actual monetary loss
substantially greater than typical for the offense;
(iii) The current offense involved a high degree of sophistication
or planning or occurred over a lengthy period of time; or
(iv) The defendant used his or her position of trust, confidence,
or fiduciary responsibility to facilitate the commission of the current
offense.
(e) The current offense was a major violation of the Uniform
Controlled Substances Act, chapter 69.50 RCW (VUCSA), related to
trafficking in controlled substances, which was more onerous than the
typical offense of its statutory definition: The presence of ANY of
the following may identify a current offense as a major VUCSA:
(i) The current offense involved at least three separate
transactions in which controlled substances were sold, transferred, or
possessed with intent to do so;
(ii) The current offense involved an attempted or actual sale or
transfer of controlled substances in quantities substantially larger
than for personal use;
(iii) The current offense involved the manufacture of controlled
substances for use by other parties;
(iv) The circumstances of the current offense reveal the offender
to have occupied a high position in the drug distribution hierarchy;
(v) The current offense involved a high degree of sophistication or
planning, occurred over a lengthy period of time, or involved a broad
geographic area of disbursement; or
(vi) The offender used his or her position or status to facilitate
the commission of the current offense, including positions of trust,
confidence or fiduciary responsibility (e.g., pharmacist, physician, or
other medical professional).
(f) The current offense included a finding of sexual motivation
pursuant to RCW 9.94A.835.
(g) The offense was part of an ongoing pattern of sexual abuse of
the same victim under the age of eighteen years manifested by multiple
incidents over a prolonged period of time.
(h) The current offense involved domestic violence, as defined in
RCW 10.99.020, and one or more of the following was present:
(i) The offense was part of an ongoing pattern of psychological,
physical, or sexual abuse of the victim manifested by multiple
incidents over a prolonged period of time;
(ii) The offense occurred within sight or sound of the victim's or
the offender's minor children under the age of eighteen years; or
(iii) The offender's conduct during the commission of the current
offense manifested deliberate cruelty or intimidation of the victim.
(i) ((The operation of the multiple offense policy of RCW 9.94A.589
results in a presumptive sentence that is clearly too lenient in light
of the purpose of this chapter, as expressed in RCW 9.94A.010.)) The offense resulted in the pregnancy of a child victim of
rape.
(j) The defendant's prior unscored misdemeanor or prior unscored
foreign criminal history results in a presumptive sentence that is
clearly too lenient in light of the purpose of this chapter, as
expressed in RCW 9.94A.010.
(k)
(((l))) (j) The defendant knew that the victim of the current
offense was a youth who was not residing with a legal custodian and the
defendant established or promoted the relationship for the primary
purpose of victimization.
(((m))) (k) The offense was committed with the intent to obstruct
or impair human or animal health care or agricultural or forestry
research or commercial production.
(((n))) (l) The current offense is trafficking in the first degree
or trafficking in the second degree and any victim was a minor at the
time of the offense.
(m) The offense involved a high degree of sophistication or
planning.
(n) The defendant used his or her position of trust, confidence, or
fiduciary responsibility to facilitate the commission of the current
offense.
(o) The defendant committed a current sex offense, has a history of
sex offenses, and is not amenable to treatment.
(p) The offense involved an invasion of the victim's privacy.
(q) The defendant demonstrated or displayed an egregious lack of
remorse.
(r) The offense involved a destructive and foreseeable impact on
persons other than the victim.
(s) The defendant committed the offense to obtain or maintain his
or her membership or to advance his or her position in the hierarchy of
an organization, association, or identifiable group.
(t) The defendant committed the current offense shortly after being
released from incarceration.
(u) The current offense is a burglary and the victim of the
burglary was present in the building or residence when the crime was
committed.
(v) The offense was committed against a law enforcement officer who
was performing his or her official duties at the time of the offense,
the offender knew that the victim was a law enforcement officer, and
the victim's status as a law enforcement officer is not an element of
the offense.
(w) The defendant committed the offense against a victim who was
acting as a good samaritan.
(x) The defendant committed the offense against a public official
or officer of the court in retaliation of the public official's
performance of his or her duty to the criminal justice system.
(y) The victim's injuries substantially exceed the level of bodily
harm necessary to satisfy the elements of the offense. This aggravator
is not an exception to RCW 9.94A.530(2).
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 A new section is added to chapter 9.94A RCW
to read as follows:
(1) At any time prior to trial or entry of the guilty plea if
substantial rights of the defendant are not prejudiced, the state may
give notice that it is seeking a sentence above the standard sentencing
range. The notice shall state aggravating circumstances upon which the
requested sentence will be based.
(2) The facts supporting aggravating circumstances shall be proved
to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury's verdict on the
aggravating factor must be unanimous, and by special interrogatory. If
a jury is waived, proof shall be to the court beyond a reasonable
doubt, unless the defendant stipulates to the aggravating facts.
(3) Evidence regarding any facts supporting aggravating
circumstances under RCW 9.94A.535(3) (a) through (y), shall be
presented to the jury during the trial of the alleged crime, unless the
state alleges the aggravating circumstances listed in RCW 9.94A.535(3)
(e)(iv), (h)(i), (o), or (t). If one of these aggravating
circumstances is alleged, the trial court may conduct a separate
proceeding if the evidence supporting the aggravating fact is not part
of the res geste of the charged crime, if the evidence is not otherwise
admissible in trial of the charged crime, and if the court finds that
the probative value of the evidence to the aggravated fact is
substantially outweighed by its prejudicial effect on the jury's
ability to determine guilt or innocence for the underlying crime.
(4) If the court conducts a separate proceeding to determine the
existence of aggravating circumstances, the proceeding shall
immediately follow the trial on the underlying conviction, if possible.
If any person who served on the jury is unable to continue, the court
shall substitute an alternate juror.
(5) If the jury finds, unanimously and beyond a reasonable doubt,
one or more of the facts alleged by the state in support of an
aggravated sentence, the court may sentence the offender pursuant to
RCW 9.94A.535 to a term of confinement up to the maximum allowed under
RCW 9A.20.021 for the underlying conviction if it finds, considering
the purposes of this chapter, that the facts found are substantial and
compelling reasons justifying an exceptional sentence.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9 This act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the
state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect
immediately."
SB 5477 -
By Senator Kline
WITHDRAWN 03/15/2005
On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "range;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 9.94A.480, 9.94A.530, and 9.94A.535; reenacting and amending RCW 9.94A.505; adding new sections to chapter 9.94A RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency."