BILL REQ. #:  S-4160.1 

Read first time 01/16/2006.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to juvenile interrogation; adding a new section to chapter 13.40 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) The legislature finds that parents have a fundamental interest in knowing if their child has been taken into police custody for questioning and where their child is being held.
     (2) When a law enforcement officer takes a juvenile into custody, a reasonable attempt must be made to notify a parent, guardian, or custodian that the juvenile is in custody and where the juvenile is being held.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) By July 1, 2006, the administrative office of the courts shall, within existing resources, convene and chair a work group to review statewide practices, protocols, and policies on the interrogation of juveniles in the custody of law enforcement.
     (2) In addition to the administrative office of the courts, the work group shall be comprised of the following members:
     (a) The attorney general or the attorney general's designee;
     (b) A member designated by the Washington prosecutors association;
     (c) A member of the Washington state patrol, designated by the chief of the state patrol;
     (d) A member designated by the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs;
     (e) A member of an organization that provides assistance to persons who are victims of juvenile crime, designated by the administrative office of the courts;
     (f) A member designated by the Washington association of criminal defense attorneys;
     (g) A member of an organization providing legal defense services to children, designated by the administrative office of the courts;
     (h) A member of an organization that primarily provides services to children and families involved with the criminal justice system, designated by the administrative office of the courts; and
     (i) An academic with a doctorate degree in child development, designated by the administrative office of the courts.
     (3) Members of the work group shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (4) The chair of the work group shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on the work of the work group not later than January 1, 2007.