ESB 6610 -
By Committee on Human Services
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The institute for public policy shall,
in collaboration with the department of social and health services and
other applicable entities, undertake a search for validated mental
health assessment tools in each of the following areas:
(a) An assessment tool or combination of tools to be used by
individuals performing court-ordered competency assessments and level
of risk assessments of defendants pursuant to chapter 10.77 RCW; and
(b) An assessment tool or combination of tools to be used by
individuals developing recommendations to courts as to the
appropriateness of conditional release from inpatient treatment of
criminally insane patients pursuant to chapter 10.77 RCW.
(2) This section expires June 30, 2011.
Sec. 2 RCW 10.77.150 and 1998 c 297 s 41 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Persons examined pursuant to RCW 10.77.140 may make application
to the secretary for conditional release. The secretary shall, after
considering the reports of experts or professional persons conducting
the examination pursuant to RCW 10.77.140, forward to the court of the
county which ordered the person's commitment the person's application
for conditional release as well as the secretary's recommendations
concerning the application and any proposed terms and conditions upon
which the secretary reasonably believes the person can be conditionally
released. Conditional release may also contemplate partial release for
work, training, or educational purposes.
(2) In instances in which persons examined pursuant to RCW
10.77.140 have not made application to the secretary for conditional
release, but the secretary, after considering the reports of experts or
professional persons conducting the examination pursuant to RCW
10.77.140, reasonably believes the person may be conditionally
released, the secretary may submit a recommendation for release to the
court of the county which ordered the person's commitment. The
secretary's recommendation must include any proposed terms and
conditions upon which the secretary reasonably believes the person may
be conditionally released. Conditional release may also include
partial release for work, training, or educational purposes. Notice of
the secretary's recommendation under this subsection must be provided
to the person for whom the secretary has made the recommendation for
release and to his or her attorney.
(3)(a) The court of the county which ordered the person's
commitment, upon receipt of an application or recommendation for
conditional release with the secretary's recommendation for conditional
release terms and conditions, shall within thirty days schedule a
hearing. The court may schedule a hearing on applications recommended
for disapproval by the secretary.
(b) The prosecuting attorney shall represent the state at such
hearings and shall have the right to have the patient examined by an
expert or professional person of the prosecuting attorney's choice. If
the committed person is indigent, and he or she so requests, the court
shall appoint a qualified expert or professional person to examine the
person on his or her behalf.
(c) The issue to be determined at such a hearing is whether or not
the person may be released conditionally without substantial danger to
other persons, or substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts
jeopardizing public safety or security.
(d) The court, after the hearing, shall rule on the secretary's
recommendations, and if it disapproves of conditional release, may do
so only on the basis of substantial evidence. The court may modify the
suggested terms and conditions on which the person is to be
conditionally released. Pursuant to the determination of the court
after hearing, the committed person shall thereupon be released on such
conditions as the court determines to be necessary, or shall be
remitted to the custody of the secretary. If the order of conditional
release includes a requirement for the committed person to report to a
community corrections officer, the order shall also specify that the
conditionally released person shall be under the supervision of the
secretary of corrections or such person as the secretary of corrections
may designate and shall follow explicitly the instructions of the
secretary of corrections including reporting as directed to a community
corrections officer, remaining within prescribed geographical
boundaries, and notifying the community corrections officer prior to
making any change in the offender's address or employment. If the
order of conditional release includes a requirement for the committed
person to report to a community corrections officer, the community
corrections officer shall notify the secretary or the secretary's
designee, if the person is not in compliance with the court-ordered
conditions of release.
(((3))) (4) If the court determines that receiving regular or
periodic medication or other medical treatment shall be a condition of
the committed person's release, then the court shall require him or her
to report to a physician or other medical or mental health practitioner
for the medication or treatment. In addition to submitting any report
required by RCW 10.77.160, the physician or other medical or mental
health practitioner shall immediately upon the released person's
failure to appear for the medication or treatment report the failure to
the court, to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the
released person was committed, to the secretary, and to the supervising
community corrections officer.
(((4))) (5) Any person, whose application for conditional release
has been denied, may reapply after a period of six months from the date
of denial.
Sec. 3 RCW 10.77.200 and 2000 c 94 s 16 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Upon application by the committed or conditionally released
person, the secretary shall determine whether or not reasonable grounds
exist for release. In making this determination, the secretary may
consider the reports filed under RCW 10.77.060, 10.77.110, 10.77.140,
and 10.77.160, and other reports and evaluations provided by
professionals familiar with the case. If the secretary approves the
release he or she then shall authorize the person to petition the
court.
(2) In instances in which persons have not made application for
release, but the secretary believes, after consideration of the reports
filed under RCW 10.77.060, 10.77.110, 10.77.140, and 10.77.160, and
other reports and evaluations provided by professionals familiar with
the case, that reasonable grounds exist for release, the secretary may
petition the court. If the secretary petitions the court for release
under this subsection, notice of the petition must be provided to the
person who is the subject of the petition and to his or her attorney.
(3) The petition shall be served upon the court and the prosecuting
attorney. The court, upon receipt of the petition for release, shall
within forty-five days order a hearing. Continuance of the hearing
date shall only be allowed for good cause shown. The prosecuting
attorney shall represent the state, and shall have the right to have
the petitioner examined by an expert or professional person of the
prosecuting attorney's choice. If the petitioner is indigent, and the
person so requests, the court shall appoint a qualified expert or
professional person to examine him or her. If the petitioner ((is
developmentally disabled)) has a developmental disability, the
examination shall be performed by a developmental disabilities
professional. The hearing shall be before a jury if demanded by either
the petitioner or the prosecuting attorney. The burden of proof shall
be upon the petitioner to show by a preponderance of the evidence that
the petitioner no longer presents, as a result of a mental disease or
defect, a substantial danger to other persons, or a substantial
likelihood of committing criminal acts jeopardizing public safety or
security, unless kept under further control by the court or other
persons or institutions.
(((3))) (4) Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the
patient from petitioning the court for release or conditional release
from the institution in which he or she is committed. The issue to be
determined on such proceeding is whether the petitioner, as a result of
a mental disease or defect, is a substantial danger to other persons,
or presents a substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts
jeopardizing public safety or security, unless kept under further
control by the court or other persons or institutions.
Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the committed
person from petitioning for release by writ of habeas corpus.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 10.77 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The department shall review the costs of the operation of each
of the following boards and the rates of recidivism and treatment
outcomes for the populations under their jurisdiction as follows:
(a) The Oregon psychiatric security review board's administration
of cases involving (i) persons judged to be guilty except for insanity,
(ii) persons who would have been guilty of a felony or misdemeanor
which caused or risked physical injury to another except for insanity,
and (iii) persons affected by mental illness and determined to be a
substantial danger to others; and
(b) The Virginia community services boards' administration of cases
involving persons found not guilty by reason of insanity.
(2) The department shall report the results of its review to the
appropriate committees of the legislature by December 15, 2010.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 10.77 RCW
to read as follows:
For persons who have received court approval for conditional
release, the secretary, or such person as the secretary shall
designate, shall supervise the person's compliance with the court-ordered conditions of release. The level of supervision provided by
the secretary shall correspond to the level of the person's assessed
public safety risk. In undertaking supervision of persons under this
section, the secretary shall coordinate with any treatment providers
designated pursuant to RCW 10.77.150(3), any department of corrections
staff designated pursuant to RCW 10.77.150(2), and local law
enforcement, if appropriate. The secretary shall adopt rules to
implement this section."
Correct the title.