BILL REQ. #:  H-5239.3 

READ FIRST TIME 02/11/08.   

     AN ACT Relating to provisions governing firearms possession by persons who have been involuntarily committed; and amending RCW 9.41.040, 9.41.047, 71.05.230, 71.05.240, 71.05.300, 71.34.730, and 71.34.740.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 9.41.040 and 2005 c 453 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) A person, whether an adult or juvenile, is guilty of the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree, if the person owns, has in his or her possession, or has in his or her control any firearm after having previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state or elsewhere of any serious offense as defined in this chapter.
     (b) Unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree is a class B felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.
     (2)(a) A person, whether an adult or juvenile, is guilty of the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, if the person does not qualify under subsection (1) of this section for the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree and the person owns, has in his or her possession, or has in his or her control any firearm:
     (i) After having previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state or elsewhere of any felony not specifically listed as prohibiting firearm possession under subsection (1) of this section, or any of the following crimes when committed by one family or household member against another, committed on or after July 1, 1993: Assault in the fourth degree, coercion, stalking, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass in the first degree, or violation of the provisions of a protection order or no-contact order restraining the person or excluding the person from a residence (RCW 26.50.060, 26.50.070, 26.50.130, or 10.99.040);
     (ii) After having previously been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment under RCW 71.05.240, 71.05.320, ((71.34.090)) 71.34.740, 71.34.750, chapter 10.77 RCW, or equivalent statutes of another jurisdiction, unless his or her right to possess a firearm has been restored as provided in RCW 9.41.047;
     (iii) If the person is under eighteen years of age, except as provided in RCW 9.41.042; and/or
     (iv) If the person is free on bond or personal recognizance pending trial, appeal, or sentencing for a serious offense as defined in RCW 9.41.010.
     (b) Unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree is a class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.
     (3) Notwithstanding RCW 9.41.047 or any other provisions of law, as used in this chapter, a person has been "convicted", whether in an adult court or adjudicated in a juvenile court, at such time as a plea of guilty has been accepted, or a verdict of guilty has been filed, notwithstanding the pendency of any future proceedings including but not limited to sentencing or disposition, post-trial or post-factfinding motions, and appeals. Conviction includes a dismissal entered after a period of probation, suspension or deferral of sentence, and also includes equivalent dispositions by courts in jurisdictions other than Washington state. A person shall not be precluded from possession of a firearm if the conviction has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, certificate of rehabilitation, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of the rehabilitation of the person convicted or the conviction or disposition has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of innocence. Where no record of the court's disposition of the charges can be found, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person was not convicted of the charge.
     (4) Notwithstanding subsection (1) or (2) of this section, a person convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of an offense prohibiting the possession of a firearm under this section other than murder, manslaughter, robbery, rape, indecent liberties, arson, assault, kidnapping, extortion, burglary, or violations with respect to controlled substances under RCW 69.50.401 and 69.50.410, who received a probationary sentence under RCW 9.95.200, and who received a dismissal of the charge under RCW 9.95.240, shall not be precluded from possession of a firearm as a result of the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, if a person is prohibited from possession of a firearm under subsection (1) or (2) of this section and has not previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of a sex offense prohibiting firearm ownership under subsection (1) or (2) of this section and/or any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or with a maximum sentence of at least twenty years, or both, the individual may petition a court of record to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored:
     (a) Under RCW 9.41.047; and/or
     (b)(i) If the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity was for a felony offense, after five or more consecutive years in the community without being convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity or currently charged with any felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor crimes, if the individual has no prior felony convictions that prohibit the possession of a firearm counted as part of the offender score under RCW 9.94A.525; or
     (ii) If the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity was for a nonfelony offense, after three or more consecutive years in the community without being convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity or currently charged with any felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor crimes, if the individual has no prior felony convictions that prohibit the possession of a firearm counted as part of the offender score under RCW 9.94A.525 and the individual has completed all conditions of the sentence.
     (5) In addition to any other penalty provided for by law, if a person under the age of eighteen years is found by a court to have possessed a firearm in a vehicle in violation of subsection (1) or (2) of this section or to have committed an offense while armed with a firearm during which offense a motor vehicle served an integral function, the court shall notify the department of licensing within twenty-four hours and the person's privilege to drive shall be revoked under RCW 46.20.265.
     (6) Nothing in chapter 129, Laws of 1995 shall ever be construed or interpreted as preventing an offender from being charged and subsequently convicted for the separate felony crimes of theft of a firearm or possession of a stolen firearm, or both, in addition to being charged and subsequently convicted under this section for unlawful possession of a firearm in the first or second degree. Notwithstanding any other law, if the offender is convicted under this section for unlawful possession of a firearm in the first or second degree and for the felony crimes of theft of a firearm or possession of a stolen firearm, or both, then the offender shall serve consecutive sentences for each of the felony crimes of conviction listed in this subsection.
     (7) Each firearm unlawfully possessed under this section shall be a separate offense.

Sec. 2   RCW 9.41.047 and 2005 c 453 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) At the time a person is convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of an offense making the person ineligible to possess a firearm, or at the time a person is committed by court order under RCW 71.05.240, 71.05.320, ((71.34.090)) 71.34.740, 71.34.750, or chapter 10.77 RCW for mental health treatment, the convicting or committing court shall notify the person, orally and in writing, that the person must immediately surrender any concealed pistol license and that the person may not possess a firearm unless his or her right to do so is restored by a court of record. For purposes of this section a convicting court includes a court in which a person has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
     The convicting or committing court ((also)) shall forward within three judicial days after conviction or entry of the commitment order a copy of the person's driver's license or identicard, or comparable information, ((to the department of licensing,)) along with the date of conviction or commitment, to the department of licensing. When a person is committed by court order under RCW 71.05.240, 71.05.320, 71.34.740, 71.34.750, or chapter 10.77 RCW, for mental health treatment, the committing court also shall forward, within three judicial days after entry of the commitment order, a copy of the person's driver's license, or comparable information, along with the date of commitment, to the national instant criminal background check system index, denied persons file, created by the federal Brady handgun violence prevention act (P.L. 103-159).
     (2) Upon receipt of the information provided for by subsection (1) of this section, the department of licensing shall determine if the convicted or committed person has a concealed pistol license. If the person does have a concealed pistol license, the department of licensing shall immediately notify the license-issuing authority which, upon receipt of such notification, shall immediately revoke the license.
     (3)(a) A person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm, by reason of having been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment under RCW 71.05.240, 71.05.320, ((71.34.090)) 71.34.740, 71.34.750, chapter 10.77 RCW, or equivalent statutes of another jurisdiction may, upon discharge, petition ((a)) the superior court ((of record)) to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored. ((At the time of commitment, the court shall specifically state to the person that he or she is barred from possession of firearms.))
     (b) The ((secretary of social and health services shall develop appropriate rules to create an approval process under this subsection. The rules must provide for the restoration of the)) petition may be brought in the superior court that ordered the involuntary commitment or the superior court of the county in which the petitioner resides.
     (c) Except as provided in (d) of this subsection, the court shall restore the petitioner's right to possess a firearm ((upon a showing in a court of competent jurisdiction that the person)) if the petitioner proves by a preponderance of the evidence that:
     (i) The petitioner is no longer required to participate in ((an)) court-ordered inpatient or outpatient treatment ((program, is no longer required to take medication to treat any));
     (ii) The petitioner has successfully managed the condition related to the commitment((, and does not));
     (iii) The petitioner no longer presents a substantial danger to himself or herself, ((others,)) or the public((. Unlawful possession of a firearm under this subsection shall be punished as a class C felony under chapter 9A.20 RCW.
     (c) A person petitioning the court under this subsection (3) shall bear the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the circumstances resulting in)); and
     (iv) The symptoms related to the commitment ((no longer exist and)) are not reasonably likely to recur.
     (d) If a preponderance of the evidence in the record supports a finding that the person petitioning the court has engaged in violence and that it is more likely than not that the person will engage in violence after his or her right to possess a firearm is restored, the person shall bear the burden of proving by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence that he or she does not present a substantial danger to the safety of others.
     (e) When a person's right to possess a firearm has been restored under this subsection, the court shall forward, within three judicial days after entry of the restoration order, notification that the person's right to possess a firearm has been restored to the department of licensing, the department of social and health services, and the national instant criminal background check system index, denied persons file.
     (4) No person who has been found not guilty by reason of insanity may petition a court for restoration of the right to possess a firearm unless the person meets the requirements for the restoration of the right to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040(4).

Sec. 3   RCW 71.05.230 and 2006 c 333 s 302 are each amended to read as follows:
     A person detained for seventy-two hour evaluation and treatment may be detained for not more than fourteen additional days of involuntary intensive treatment or ninety additional days of a less restrictive alternative to involuntary intensive treatment. There shall be no fee for filing petitions for fourteen days of involuntary intensive treatment. A petition may only be filed if the following conditions are met:
     (1) The professional staff of the agency or facility providing evaluation services has analyzed the person's condition and finds that the condition is caused by mental disorder and either results in a likelihood of serious harm, or results in the detained person being gravely disabled and are prepared to testify those conditions are met; and
     (2) The person has been advised of the need for voluntary treatment and the professional staff of the facility has evidence that he or she has not in good faith volunteered; and
     (3) The facility providing intensive treatment is certified to provide such treatment by the department; and
     (4) The professional staff of the agency or facility or the designated mental health professional has filed a petition for fourteen day involuntary detention or a ninety day less restrictive alternative with the court. The petition must be signed either by two physicians or by one physician and a mental health professional who have examined the person. If involuntary detention is sought the petition shall state facts that support the finding that such person, as a result of mental disorder, presents a likelihood of serious harm, or is gravely disabled and that there are no less restrictive alternatives to detention in the best interest of such person or others. The petition shall state specifically that less restrictive alternative treatment was considered and specify why treatment less restrictive than detention is not appropriate. If an involuntary less restrictive alternative is sought, the petition shall state facts that support the finding that such person, as a result of mental disorder, presents a likelihood of serious harm, or is gravely disabled and shall set forth the less restrictive alternative proposed by the facility; and
     (5) A copy of the petition has been served on the detained person, his or her attorney and his or her guardian or conservator, if any, prior to the probable cause hearing; and
     (6) The court at the time the petition was filed and before the probable cause hearing has appointed counsel to represent such person if no other counsel has appeared; and
     (7) The petition reflects that the person was informed of the loss of firearm rights if involuntarily committed; and
     (8) The court has ordered a fourteen day involuntary intensive treatment or a ninety day less restrictive alternative treatment after a probable cause hearing has been held pursuant to RCW 71.05.240; and
     (((8))) (9) At the conclusion of the initial commitment period, the professional staff of the agency or facility or the designated mental health professional may petition for an additional period of either ninety days of less restrictive alternative treatment or ninety days of involuntary intensive treatment as provided in RCW 71.05.290; and
     (((9))) (10) If the hospital or facility designated to provide outpatient treatment is other than the facility providing involuntary treatment, the outpatient facility so designated has agreed to assume such responsibility.

Sec. 4   RCW 71.05.240 and 1997 c 112 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:
     If a petition is filed for fourteen day involuntary treatment or ninety days of less restrictive alternative treatment, the court shall hold a probable cause hearing within seventy-two hours of the initial detention of such person as determined in RCW 71.05.180. If requested by the detained person or his or her attorney, the hearing may be postponed for a period not to exceed forty-eight hours. The hearing may also be continued subject to the conditions set forth in RCW 71.05.210 or subject to the petitioner's showing of good cause for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours.
     At the conclusion of the probable cause hearing, if the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that such person, as the result of mental disorder, presents a likelihood of serious harm, or is gravely disabled, and, after considering less restrictive alternatives to involuntary detention and treatment, finds that no such alternatives are in the best interests of such person or others, the court shall order that such person be detained for involuntary treatment not to exceed fourteen days in a facility certified to provide treatment by the department. If the court finds that such person, as the result of a mental disorder, presents a likelihood of serious harm, or is gravely disabled, but that treatment in a less restrictive setting than detention is in the best interest of such person or others, the court shall order an appropriate less restrictive course of treatment for not to exceed ninety days.
     The court shall specifically state to such person and give such person notice in writing that if involuntary treatment beyond the fourteen day period or beyond the ninety days of less restrictive treatment is to be sought, such person will have the right to a full hearing or jury trial as required by RCW 71.05.310. The court shall also state to the person and provide written notice that the person is barred from the possession of firearms and that the prohibition remains in effect until a court restores his or her right to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.047.

Sec. 5   RCW 71.05.300 and 2006 c 333 s 303 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The petition for ninety day treatment shall be filed with the clerk of the superior court at least three days before expiration of the fourteen-day period of intensive treatment. At the time of filing such petition, the clerk shall set a time for the person to come before the court on the next judicial day after the day of filing unless such appearance is waived by the person's attorney, and the clerk shall notify the designated mental health professional. The designated mental health professional shall immediately notify the person detained, his or her attorney, if any, and his or her guardian or conservator, if any, the prosecuting attorney, and the regional support network administrator, and provide a copy of the petition to such persons as soon as possible. The regional support network administrator or designee may review the petition and may appear and testify at the full hearing on the petition.
     (2) At the time set for appearance the detained person shall be brought before the court, unless such appearance has been waived and the court shall advise him or her of his or her right to be represented by an attorney ((and of)), his or her right to a jury trial, and his or her loss of firearm rights if involuntarily committed. If the detained person is not represented by an attorney, or is indigent or is unwilling to retain an attorney, the court shall immediately appoint an attorney to represent him or her. The court shall, if requested, appoint a reasonably available licensed physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist, designated by the detained person to examine and testify on behalf of the detained person.
     (3) The court may, if requested, also appoint a professional person as defined in RCW 71.05.020 to seek less restrictive alternative courses of treatment and to testify on behalf of the detained person. In the case of a ((developmentally disabled)) person with a developmental disability who has been determined to be incompetent pursuant to RCW ((10.77.090(4))) 10.77.086, then the appointed professional person under this section shall be a developmental disabilities professional.
     (4) The court shall also set a date for a full hearing on the petition as provided in RCW 71.05.310.

Sec. 6   RCW 71.34.730 and 1995 c 312 s 54 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The professional person in charge of an evaluation and treatment facility where a minor has been admitted involuntarily for the initial seventy-two hour treatment period under this chapter may petition to have a minor committed to an evaluation and treatment facility for fourteen-day diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment.
     If the professional person in charge of the treatment and evaluation facility does not petition to have the minor committed, the parent who has custody of the minor may seek review of that decision in court. The parent shall file notice with the court and provide a copy of the treatment and evaluation facility's report.
     (2) A petition for commitment of a minor under this section shall be filed with the superior court in the county where the minor is residing or being detained.
     (a) A petition for a fourteen-day commitment shall be signed either by two physicians or by one physician and a mental health professional who have examined the minor and shall contain the following:
     (i) The name and address of the petitioner;
     (ii) The name of the minor alleged to meet the criteria for fourteen-day commitment;
     (iii) The name, telephone number, and address if known of every person believed by the petitioner to be legally responsible for the minor;
     (iv) A statement that the petitioner has examined the minor and finds that the minor's condition meets required criteria for fourteen-day commitment and the supporting facts therefor;
     (v) A statement that the minor has been advised of the need for voluntary treatment but has been unwilling or unable to consent to necessary treatment;
     (vi) A statement that the minor has been advised of the loss of firearm rights if involuntarily committed;
     (vii) A statement recommending the appropriate facility or facilities to provide the necessary treatment; and
     (((vii))) (viii) A statement concerning whether a less restrictive alternative to inpatient treatment is in the best interests of the minor.
     (b) A copy of the petition shall be personally delivered to the minor by the petitioner or petitioner's designee. A copy of the petition shall be sent to the minor's attorney and the minor's parent.

Sec. 7   RCW 71.34.740 and 1985 c 354 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A commitment hearing shall be held within seventy-two hours of the minor's admission, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, unless a continuance is requested by the minor or the minor's attorney.
     (2) The commitment hearing shall be conducted at the superior court or an appropriate place at the facility in which the minor is being detained.
     (3) At the commitment hearing, the evidence in support of the petition shall be presented by the county prosecutor.
     (4) The minor shall be present at the commitment hearing unless the minor, with the assistance of the minor's attorney, waives the right to be present at the hearing.
     (5) If the parents are opposed to the petition, they may be represented at the hearing and shall be entitled to court-appointed counsel if they are indigent.
     (6) At the commitment hearing, the minor shall have the following rights:
     (a) To be represented by an attorney;
     (b) To present evidence on his or her own behalf;
     (c) To question persons testifying in support of the petition.
     (7) In any fourteen-day commitment proceeding, the court record shall reflect that the minor was informed of the loss of firearm rights if involuntarily committed.
     (8) If the minor has received medication within twenty-four hours of the hearing, the court shall be informed of that fact and of the probable effects of the medication.
     (((8))) (9) Rules of evidence shall not apply in fourteen-day commitment hearings.
     (((9))) (10) For a fourteen-day commitment, the court must find by a preponderance of the evidence that:
     (a) The minor has a mental disorder and presents a "likelihood of serious harm" or is "gravely disabled";
     (b) The minor is in need of evaluation and treatment of the type provided by the inpatient evaluation and treatment facility to which continued inpatient care is sought or is in need of less restrictive alternative treatment found to be in the best interests of the minor; and
     (c) The minor is unwilling or unable in good faith to consent to voluntary treatment.
     (((10))) (11) If the court finds that the minor meets the criteria for a fourteen-day commitment, the court shall either authorize commitment of the minor for inpatient treatment or for less restrictive alternative treatment upon such conditions as are necessary. If the court determines that the minor does not meet the criteria for a fourteen-day commitment, the minor shall be released.
     (((11))) (12) Nothing in this section prohibits the professional person in charge of the evaluation and treatment facility from releasing the minor at any time, when, in the opinion of the professional person in charge of the facility, further inpatient treatment is no longer necessary. The release may be subject to reasonable conditions if appropriate.
     Whenever a minor is released under this section, the professional person in charge shall within three days, notify the court in writing of the release.
     (((12))) (13) A minor who has been committed for fourteen days shall be released at the end of that period unless a petition for one hundred eighty-day commitment is pending before the court.