BILL REQ. #:  H-0996.1 

Read first time 01/19/2007.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to a study to review the age of consent in Washington; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The Washington state institute for public policy shall review Washington law to determine all areas in Washington law in which the age of consent is statutorily established including but not limited to entering a marriage contract, entering into a legal contractual obligation, executing a will, the ability to vote, making health care decisions, receiving mental health or chemical dependency treatment, and obtaining body piercings or tattoos.
     (2) The institute shall review available studies and reports pertaining to the ability of a minor to provide consent, including studies on adolescent brain development. The review should include information available on the ability of a minor to understand the long-term effects or consequences of his or her decisions, his or her ability to provide consent at various ages, and at what age a minor is best able to provide consent.
     (3) The institute shall provide a report to the appropriate legislative committees by December 1, 2007. The report shall include a comparison of the Washington statutes reviewed in subsection (1) of this section that includes the age at which a minor is statutorily permitted to consent.