CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

HOUSE BILL 1182

Chapter 165, Laws of 2011

62nd Legislature
2011 Regular Session



CRIMES--WITNESS INTIMIDATION AND TAMPERING--SEPARATE OFFENSES



EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/22/11

Passed by the House February 14, 2011
  Yeas 93   Nays 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate April 8, 2011
  Yeas 47   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1182 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


BARBARA BAKER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved April 27, 2011, 1:47 p.m.








CHRISTINE GREGOIRE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
April 27, 2011







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

HOUSE BILL 1182
_____________________________________________

Passed Legislature - 2011 Regular Session
State of Washington62nd Legislature2011 Regular Session

By Representatives Goodman, Ross, Kirby, Johnson, Hope, Hurst, Kelley, Maxwell, Frockt, Klippert, Liias, Miloscia, Moscoso, Pearson, Billig, Warnick, and Ladenburg

Read first time 01/14/11.   Referred to Committee on Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness.



     AN ACT Relating to the unit of prosecution for tampering with or intimidating a witness; amending RCW 9A.72.110 and 9A.72.120; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   In response to State v. Hall, 168 Wn.2d 726 (2010), the legislature intends to clarify that each instance of an attempt to intimidate or tamper with a witness constitutes a separate violation for purposes of determining the unit of prosecution under the statutes governing tampering with a witness and intimidating a witness.

Sec. 2   RCW 9A.72.110 and 1997 c 29 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person is guilty of intimidating a witness if a person, by use of a threat against a current or prospective witness, attempts to:
     (a) Influence the testimony of that person;
     (b) Induce that person to elude legal process summoning him or her to testify;
     (c) Induce that person to absent himself or herself from such proceedings; or
     (d) Induce that person not to report the information relevant to a criminal investigation or the abuse or neglect of a minor child, not to have the crime or the abuse or neglect of a minor child prosecuted, or not to give truthful or complete information relevant to a criminal investigation or the abuse or neglect of a minor child.
     (2) A person also is guilty of intimidating a witness if the person directs a threat to a former witness because of the witness's role in an official proceeding.
     (3) As used in this section:
     (a) "Threat" means:
     (i) To communicate, directly or indirectly, the intent immediately to use force against any person who is present at the time; or
     (ii) Threat as defined in RCW 9A.04.110(((25))) (27).
     (b) "Current or prospective witness" means:
     (i) A person endorsed as a witness in an official proceeding;
     (ii) A person whom the actor believes may be called as a witness in any official proceeding; or
     (iii) A person whom the actor has reason to believe may have information relevant to a criminal investigation or the abuse or neglect of a minor child.
     (c) "Former witness" means:
     (i) A person who testified in an official proceeding;
     (ii) A person who was endorsed as a witness in an official proceeding;
     (iii) A person whom the actor knew or believed may have been called as a witness if a hearing or trial had been held; or
     (iv) A person whom the actor knew or believed may have provided information related to a criminal investigation or an investigation into the abuse or neglect of a minor child.
     (4) Intimidating a witness is a class B felony.
     (5) For purposes of this section, each instance of an attempt to intimidate a witness constitutes a separate offense.

Sec. 3   RCW 9A.72.120 and 1994 c 271 s 205 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person is guilty of tampering with a witness if he or she attempts to induce a witness or person he or she has reason to believe is about to be called as a witness in any official proceeding or a person whom he or she has reason to believe may have information relevant to a criminal investigation or the abuse or neglect of a minor child to:
     (a) Testify falsely or, without right or privilege to do so, to withhold any testimony; or
     (b) Absent himself or herself from such proceedings; or
     (c) Withhold from a law enforcement agency information which he or she has relevant to a criminal investigation or the abuse or neglect of a minor child to the agency.
     (2) Tampering with a witness is a class C felony.
     (3) For purposes of this section, each instance of an attempt to tamper with a witness constitutes a separate offense.


         Passed by the House February 14, 2011.
         Passed by the Senate April 8, 2011.
         Approved by the Governor April 27, 2011.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 27, 2011.