BILL REQ. #: H-4694.1
State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2008 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/23/08. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AN ACT Relating to the penalty for vehicular homicide while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug; amending RCW 46.61.520, 9.94A.540, and 46.20.285; reenacting and amending RCW 9.94A.515; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 46.61.520 and 1998 c 211 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) When the death of any person ensues within three years as a
proximate result of injury proximately caused by the driving of any
vehicle by any person, the driver is guilty of vehicular homicide if
the driver was operating a motor vehicle:
(a) While under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug,
as defined by RCW 46.61.502; or
(b) In a reckless manner; or
(c) With disregard for the safety of others.
(2) Vehicular homicide is a class A felony punishable under chapter
9A.20 RCW, except that, for a conviction under subsection (1)(a) of
this section, the mandatory minimum specified in RCW 9.94A.540 shall
apply, and an additional two years shall be added to the sentence for
each prior offense as defined in RCW 46.61.5055 other than a previous
violation of subsection (1)(a) of this section.
Sec. 2 RCW 9.94A.540 and 2005 c 437 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Except to the extent provided in subsection (3) of this
section, the following minimum terms of total confinement are mandatory
and shall not be varied or modified under RCW 9.94A.535:
(a) An offender convicted of the crime of murder in the first
degree shall be sentenced to a term of total confinement not less than
twenty years.
(b) An offender convicted of the crime of assault in the first
degree or assault of a child in the first degree where the offender
used force or means likely to result in death or intended to kill the
victim shall be sentenced to a term of total confinement not less than
five years.
(c) An offender convicted of the crime of rape in the first degree
shall be sentenced to a term of total confinement not less than five
years.
(d) An offender convicted of the crime of sexually violent predator
escape shall be sentenced to a minimum term of total confinement not
less than sixty months.
(e) An offender convicted of the crime of vehicular homicide under
RCW 46.61.520(1)(a) shall be sentenced to a minimum term of total
confinement: (i) Not less than five years for a first violation of RCW
46.61.520(1)(a); (ii) not less than ten years for a second violation of
RCW 46.61.520(1)(a); or (iii) not less than fifteen years for a third
or subsequent violation of RCW 46.61.520(1)(a).
(2) During such minimum terms of total confinement, no offender
subject to the provisions of this section is eligible for community
custody, earned release time, furlough, home detention, partial
confinement, work crew, work release, or any other form of early
release authorized under RCW 9.94A.728, or any other form of authorized
leave of absence from the correctional facility while not in the direct
custody of a corrections officer. The provisions of this subsection
shall not apply: (a) In the case of an offender in need of emergency
medical treatment; (b) for the purpose of commitment to an inpatient
treatment facility in the case of an offender convicted of the crime of
rape in the first degree; or (c) for an extraordinary medical placement
when authorized under RCW 9.94A.728(4).
(3)(a) Subsection (1) of this section shall not be applied in
sentencing of juveniles tried as adults pursuant to RCW
13.04.030(1)(e)(i).
(b) This subsection (3) applies only to crimes committed on or
after July 24, 2005.
Sec. 3 RCW 46.20.285 and 2005 c 288 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
The department shall revoke the license of any driver for the
period of one calendar year unless otherwise provided in this section,
upon receiving a record of the driver's conviction of any of the
following offenses, when the conviction has become final:
(1) For vehicular homicide the period of revocation shall be two
years, except that for a violation of RCW 46.61.520(1)(a) the period of
revocation shall be ten years for a first violation of RCW
46.61.520(1)(a), twenty years for a second violation of RCW
46.61.520(1)(a), or thirty years for a third or subsequent violation of
RCW 46.61.520(1)(a). The revocation period shall be tolled during any
period of total confinement for the offense;
(2) Vehicular assault. The revocation period shall be tolled
during any period of total confinement for the offense;
(3) Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of
intoxicating liquor or a narcotic drug, or under the influence of any
other drug to a degree which renders the driver incapable of safely
driving a motor vehicle, for the period prescribed in RCW 46.61.5055;
(4) Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;
(5) Failure to stop and give information or render aid as required
under the laws of this state in the event of a motor vehicle accident
resulting in the death or personal injury of another or resulting in
damage to a vehicle that is driven or attended by another;
(6) Perjury or the making of a false affidavit or statement under
oath to the department under Title 46 RCW or under any other law
relating to the ownership or operation of motor vehicles;
(7) Reckless driving upon a showing by the department's records
that the conviction is the third such conviction for the driver within
a period of two years.
Sec. 4 RCW 9.94A.515 and 2007 c 368 s 14 and 2007 c 199 s 10 are
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
TABLE 2 | ||
CRIMES INCLUDED WITHIN EACH SERIOUSNESS LEVEL | ||
XVI | ||
XV | ||
XIV | ||
XIII | ||
XII | ||
XI | ||
X | ||
Vehicular Homicide, by being under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug (RCW 46.61.520) | ||
IX | ||
(( | ||
VIII | ||
VII | ||
VI | ||
V | ||
IV | ||
III | ||
Escape 2 (RCW 9A.76.120) | ||
II | ||
I | ||