BILL REQ. #:  H-4023.1 

READ FIRST TIME 01/31/12.   

     AN ACT Relating to increasing fee assessments for prostitution crimes; amending RCW 9A.88.120, 3.50.100, 3.62.020, 3.62.040, 10.82.070, and 35.20.220; and prescribing penalties.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 9A.88.120 and 2007 c 368 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) In addition to penalties set forth in RCW 9A.88.010, 9A.88.030, and 9A.88.090, a person who is either convicted or given a deferred sentence or a deferred prosecution or who has entered into a statutory or nonstatutory diversion agreement as a result of an arrest for violating RCW 9A.88.010, 9A.88.030, 9A.88.090, or comparable county or municipal ordinances shall be assessed a fifty dollar fee.
     (b) In addition to penalties set forth in RCW 9A.88.110, a person who is either convicted or given a deferred sentence or a deferred prosecution or who has entered into a statutory or nonstatutory diversion agreement as a result of an arrest for violating RCW 9A.88.110 or a comparable county or municipal ordinance shall be assessed a one hundred fifty dollar fee.
     (c)(i) In addition to penalties set forth in RCW 9A.88.070 and 9A.88.080, a person who is either convicted or given a deferred sentence or a deferred prosecution or who has entered into a statutory or nonstatutory diversion agreement as a result of an arrest for violating RCW 9A.88.070, 9A.88.080, or comparable county or municipal ordinances shall be assessed a ((three hundred dollar)) fee in the amount of:
     (A) Three thousand dollars for the first offense;
     (B) Six thousand dollars for the second offense; and
     (C) Ten thousand dollars for the third and each subsequent offense.
     (ii) These fees shall not be reduced, waived, or suspended.
     (iii) Fees assessed under this subsection (1)(c) shall be collected by the clerk of court and be remitted to the treasurer of the county where the offense occurred for deposit in the county general fund, except in cases in which the offense occurred in a city or town that provides for its own law enforcement, in which case these amounts shall be remitted to the treasurer of the city or town for deposit in the general fund of the city or town. Revenue from the fees must be used for local efforts to reduce the commercial sale of sex including, but not limited to, increased enforcement of commercial sex laws.
     (A) At least fifty percent of the revenue from fees imposed under this subsection (1)(c) must be spent on prevention, including education programs for offenders, such as john school, and rehabilitative services, such as mental health and substance abuse counseling, parenting skills training, housing relief, education, vocational training, drop-in centers, and employment counseling.
     (B) Revenues from these fees are not subject to the distribution requirements under RCW 3.50.100, 3.62.020, 3.62.040, 10.82.070, or 35.20.220.
     (2) The court may not suspend payment of all or part of the fee unless it finds that the person does not have the ability to pay.
     (3) When a minor has been adjudicated a juvenile offender or has entered into a statutory or nonstatutory diversion agreement for an offense which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a violation under this chapter or comparable county or municipal ordinances, the court shall assess the fee as specified under subsection (1) of this section. The court may not suspend payment of all or part of the fee unless it finds that the minor does not have the ability to pay the fee.
     (4) Any fee assessed under this section shall be collected by the clerk of the court and distributed each month to the state treasurer for deposit in the prostitution prevention and intervention account under RCW 43.63A.740 for the purpose of funding prostitution prevention and intervention activities.
     (5) For the purposes of this section:
     (a) "Statutory or nonstatutory diversion agreement" means an agreement under RCW 13.40.080 or any written agreement between a person accused of an offense listed in subsection (1) of this section and a court, county, or city prosecutor, or designee thereof, whereby the person agrees to fulfill certain conditions in lieu of prosecution.
     (b) "Deferred sentence" means a sentence that will not be carried out if the defendant meets certain requirements, such as complying with the conditions of probation.

Sec. 2   RCW 3.50.100 and 2009 c 479 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Costs in civil and criminal actions may be imposed as provided in district court. All fees, costs, fines, forfeitures and other money imposed by any municipal court for the violation of any municipal or town ordinances shall be collected by the court clerk and, together with any other noninterest revenues received by the clerk, shall be deposited with the city or town treasurer as a part of the general fund of the city or town, or deposited in such other fund of the city or town, or deposited in such other funds as may be designated by the laws of the state of Washington.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 9A.88.120 and 10.99.080, the city treasurer shall remit monthly thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under this section, other than for parking infractions, and certain costs to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state, county, city, or town in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. Money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited in the state general fund.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received under this section shall be retained by the city and deposited as provided by law.
     (4) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (5) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the state general fund, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the city general fund, and twenty-five percent to the city general fund to fund local courts.

Sec. 3   RCW 3.62.020 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 44 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, all costs, fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected in whole or in part by district courts, except costs, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected, in whole or in part, because of the violation of city ordinances, shall be remitted by the clerk of the district court to the county treasurer at least monthly, together with a financial statement as required by the state auditor, noting the information necessary for crediting of such funds as required by law.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 9A.88.120, 10.99.080, and this section, the county treasurer shall remit thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under subsection (1) of this section except certain costs to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state or county in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. With the exception of funds to be transferred to the judicial stabilization trust account under RCW 3.62.060(2), money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited in the state general fund.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received by the county treasurer under subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited in the county current expense fund. Funds deposited under this subsection that are attributable to the county's portion of a surcharge imposed under RCW 3.62.060(2) must be used to support local trial court and court-related functions.
     (4) All money collected for county parking infractions shall be remitted by the clerk of the district court at least monthly, with the information required under subsection (1) of this section, to the county treasurer for deposit in the county current expense fund.
     (5) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (6) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the state general fund, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the county current expense fund, and twenty-five percent to the county current expense fund to fund local courts.

Sec. 4   RCW 3.62.040 and 2009 c 479 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, all costs, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected, in whole or in part, by district courts because of violations of city ordinances shall be remitted by the clerk of the district court at least monthly directly to the treasurer of the city wherein the violation occurred.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 9A.88.120 and 10.99.080, the city treasurer shall remit monthly thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under this section, other than for parking infractions and certain costs, to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state, county, city, or town in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. Money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited in the state general fund.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received under this section shall be retained by the city and deposited as provided by law.
     (4) All money collected for city parking infractions shall be remitted by the clerk of the district court at least monthly to the city treasurer for deposit in the city's general fund.
     (5) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (6) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the state general fund, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the city general fund, and twenty-five percent to the city general fund to fund local courts.

Sec. 5   RCW 10.82.070 and 2009 c 479 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All sums of money derived from costs, fines, penalties, and forfeitures imposed or collected, in whole or in part, by a superior court for violation of orders of injunction, mandamus and other like writs, for contempt of court, or for breach of the penal laws shall be paid in cash by the person collecting the same, within twenty days after the collection, to the county treasurer of the county in which the same have accrued.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 9A.88.120 and 10.99.080, the county treasurer shall remit monthly thirty-two percent of the money received under this section except for certain costs to the state treasurer for deposit in the state general fund and shall deposit the remainder as provided by law. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state or county in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. Costs or assessments awarded to dedicated accounts, state or local, are not subject to this state allocation or to RCW 7.68.035.
     (3) All fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties collected or assessed by a district court because of the violation of a state law shall be remitted as provided in chapter 3.62 RCW as now exists or is later amended. All fees, fines, forfeitures, and penalties collected or assessed by a superior court in cases on appeal from a lower court shall be remitted to the municipal or district court from which the cases were appealed.

Sec. 6   RCW 35.20.220 and 2009 c 479 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The chief clerk, under the supervision and direction of the court administrator of the municipal court, shall have the custody and care of the books, papers and records of the court. The chief clerk or a deputy shall be present during the session of the court and has the power to swear all witnesses and jurors, administer oaths and affidavits, and take acknowledgments. The chief clerk shall keep the records of the court and shall issue all process under his or her hand and the seal of the court. The chief clerk shall do and perform all things and have the same powers pertaining to the office as the clerks of the superior courts have in their office. He or she shall receive all fines, penalties, and fees of every kind and keep a full, accurate, and detailed account of the same. The chief clerk shall on each day pay into the city treasury all money received for the city during the day previous, with a detailed account of the same, and taking the treasurer's receipt therefor.
     (2) Except as provided in RCW 9A.88.120 and 10.99.080, the city treasurer shall remit monthly thirty-two percent of the noninterest money received under this section, other than for parking infractions and certain costs to the state treasurer. "Certain costs" as used in this subsection, means those costs awarded to prevailing parties in civil actions under RCW 4.84.010 or 36.18.040, or those costs awarded against convicted defendants in criminal actions under RCW 10.01.160, 10.46.190, or 36.18.040, or other similar statutes if such costs are specifically designated as costs by the court and are awarded for the specific reimbursement of costs incurred by the state, county, city, or town in the prosecution of the case, including the fees of defense counsel. Money remitted under this subsection to the state treasurer shall be deposited in the state general fund.
     (3) The balance of the noninterest money received under this section shall be retained by the city and deposited as provided by law.
     (4) Penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs may accrue interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum, upon assignment to a collection agency. Interest may accrue only while the case is in collection status.
     (5) Interest retained by the court on penalties, fines, bail forfeitures, fees, and costs shall be split twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the state general fund, twenty-five percent to the state treasurer for deposit in the judicial information system account as provided in RCW 2.68.020, twenty-five percent to the city general fund, and twenty-five percent to the city general fund to fund local courts.