ESHB 1651 -
By Committee on Ways & Means
NOT CONSIDERED
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that:
(1) The primary goal of the Washington state juvenile justice
system is the rehabilitation and reintegration of former juvenile
offenders. The public has a compelling interest in the rehabilitation
of former juvenile offenders and their successful reintegration into
society as active, law-abiding, and contributing members of their
communities. When juvenile court records that do not result in
adjudication or conviction are publicly available, former juvenile
offenders face a substantial barrier to reintegration, as they are
denied housing, employment, and education opportunities on the basis of
these records.
(2) The Washington state Constitution establishes that the public
has the right to an open court system. However, the public's right of
access to court records is not absolute and may be limited to protect
other interests. The legislature intends that juvenile court
proceedings be openly administered but that the records of these
proceedings that do not result in an adjudication or conviction be
presumptively closed and not disseminated.
(3) Given the rehabilitative goals of the juvenile justice system,
the scientifically documented differences between the brain development
of juveniles and adults, and the differences between the structure and
goals of the juvenile justice system and the adult criminal justice
system, the legislature declares that it is the policy of the state of
Washington that the interest in juvenile rehabilitation and
reintegration constitutes compelling circumstances that outweigh the
public interest in continued availability of juvenile court records
that do not result in adjudication or conviction.
Sec. 2 RCW 13.50.050 and 2012 c 177 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) This section governs records relating to the commission of
juvenile offenses, including records relating to diversions.
(2) Court records and public court indices containing
nonadjudication or nonconviction information relating to the commission
of juvenile offenses are restricted from public access.
(3) For the purposes of this section, nonadjudication or
nonconviction information means information contained in records
collected by the courts relating to:
(a) Arrest, probable cause hearings, citation, charge, and service
of warrant relating to an incident that did not lead to an adjudication
and proceedings are no longer actively pending. There shall be a
rebuttable presumption that proceedings are no longer actively pending
if more than one year has elapsed since arrest, citation, charge, or
service of warrant and no disposition has been entered;
(b) Charges resulting in a dismissal;
(c) Charges resulting in acquittal;
(d) Convictions after clemency has been granted;
(e) Charges dismissed under a stipulated order of continuance or
similar agreement;
(f) Charges dismissed pursuant to a diversion or deferred sentence;
(g) Charges dismissed on forfeiture of bail other than in traffic,
hunting, and fishing cases.
(4) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the
official juvenile court file of any alleged or proven juvenile offender
shall be open to public inspection, unless sealed pursuant to
subsection (((12))) (14) of this section.
(((3))) (5) All records ((other than)) retained or produced, which
are not part of the official juvenile court file, are confidential and
may be released only as provided in this section, RCW 13.50.010,
13.40.215, and 4.24.550.
(((4))) (6) Except as otherwise provided in this section and RCW
13.50.010, records retained or produced by any juvenile justice or care
agency may be released to other participants in the juvenile justice or
care system only when an investigation or case involving the juvenile
in question is being pursued by the other participant or when that
other participant is assigned the responsibility for supervising the
juvenile.
(((5))) (7) Except as provided in RCW 4.24.550, information not in
an official juvenile court file concerning a juvenile or a juvenile's
family may be released to the public only when that information could
not reasonably be expected to identify the juvenile or the juvenile's
family.
(((6))) (8) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
the release, to the juvenile or his or her attorney, of law enforcement
and prosecuting attorneys' records pertaining to investigation,
diversion, and prosecution of juvenile offenses shall be governed by
the rules of discovery and other rules of law applicable in adult
criminal investigations and prosecutions.
(((7))) (9) Upon the decision to arrest or the arrest, law
enforcement and prosecuting attorneys may cooperate with schools in
releasing information to a school pertaining to the investigation,
diversion, and prosecution of a juvenile attending the school. Upon
the decision to arrest or the arrest, incident reports may be released
unless releasing the records would jeopardize the investigation or
prosecution or endanger witnesses. If release of incident reports
would jeopardize the investigation or prosecution or endanger
witnesses, law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys may release
information to the maximum extent possible to assist schools in
protecting other students, staff, and school property.
(((8))) (10) The juvenile court and the prosecutor may set up and
maintain a central recordkeeping system which may receive information
on all alleged juvenile offenders against whom a complaint has been
filed pursuant to RCW 13.40.070 whether or not their cases are
currently pending before the court. The central recordkeeping system
may be computerized. If a complaint has been referred to a diversion
unit, the diversion unit shall promptly report to the juvenile court or
the prosecuting attorney when the juvenile has agreed to diversion. An
offense shall not be reported as criminal history in any central
recordkeeping system without notification by the diversion unit of the
date on which the offender agreed to diversion.
(((9))) (11) Upon request of the victim of a crime or the victim's
immediate family, the identity of an alleged or proven juvenile
offender alleged or found to have committed a crime against the victim
and the identity of the alleged or proven juvenile offender's parent,
guardian, or custodian and the circumstance of the alleged or proven
crime shall be released to the victim of the crime or the victim's
immediate family.
(((10))) (12) Subject to the rules of discovery applicable in adult
criminal prosecutions, the juvenile offense records of an adult
criminal defendant or witness in an adult criminal proceeding shall be
released upon request to prosecution and defense counsel after a charge
has actually been filed. The juvenile offense records of any adult
convicted of a crime and placed under the supervision of the adult
corrections system shall be released upon request to the adult
corrections system.
(((11))) (13) In any case in which an information has been filed
pursuant to RCW 13.40.100 or a complaint has been filed with the
prosecutor and referred for diversion pursuant to RCW 13.40.070, the
person the subject of the information or complaint may file a motion
with the court to have the court vacate its order and findings, if any,
and, subject to subsection (((23))) (26) of this section, order the
sealing of the official juvenile court file, the social file, and
records of the court and of any other agency in the case.
(((12))) (14)(a) The court shall not grant any motion to seal
records for class A offenses made pursuant to subsection (((11))) (13)
of this section that is filed on or after July 1, 1997, unless:
(i) Since the last date of release from confinement, including
full-time residential treatment, if any, or entry of disposition, the
person has spent five consecutive years in the community without
committing any offense or crime that subsequently results in an
adjudication or conviction;
(ii) No proceeding is pending against the moving party seeking the
conviction of a juvenile offense or a criminal offense;
(iii) No proceeding is pending seeking the formation of a diversion
agreement with that person;
(iv) The person is no longer required to register as a sex offender
under RCW 9A.44.130 or has been relieved of the duty to register under
RCW 9A.44.143 if the person was convicted of a sex offense;
(v) The person has not been convicted of rape in the first degree,
rape in the second degree, or indecent liberties that was actually
committed with forcible compulsion; and
(vi) Full restitution has been paid.
(b) The court shall not grant any motion to seal records for class
B, C, gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor offenses and diversions made
under subsection (((11))) (13) of this section unless:
(i) Since the date of last release from confinement, including
full-time residential treatment, if any, entry of disposition, or
completion of the diversion agreement, the person has spent two
consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any
offense or crime;
(ii) No proceeding is pending against the moving party seeking the
conviction of a juvenile offense or a criminal offense;
(iii) No proceeding is pending seeking the formation of a diversion
agreement with that person;
(iv) The person is no longer required to register as a sex offender
under RCW 9A.44.130 or has been relieved of the duty to register under
RCW 9A.44.143 if the person was convicted of a sex offense; and
(v) Full restitution has been paid.
(c) Notwithstanding the requirements in (a) or (b) of this
subsection, the court shall grant any motion to seal records of any
deferred disposition vacated under RCW 13.40.127(9) prior to June 7,
2012, if restitution has been paid and the person is eighteen years of
age or older at the time of the motion.
(((13))) (15) The person making a motion pursuant to subsection
(((11))) (13) of this section shall give reasonable notice of the
motion to the prosecution and to any person or agency whose files are
sought to be sealed.
(((14))) (16)(a) If the court grants the motion to seal made
pursuant to subsection (((11))) (13) of this section, it shall, subject
to subsection (((23))) (26) of this section, order sealed the official
juvenile court file, the social file, and other records relating to the
case as are named in the order. Thereafter, the proceedings in the
case shall be treated as if they never occurred, and the subject of the
records may reply accordingly to any inquiry about the events, records
of which are sealed. Any agency shall reply to any inquiry concerning
confidential or sealed records that records are confidential, and no
information can be given about the existence or nonexistence of records
concerning an individual.
(b) In the event the subject of the juvenile records receives a
full and unconditional pardon, the proceedings in the matter upon which
the pardon has been granted shall be treated as if they never occurred,
and the subject of the records may reply accordingly to any inquiry
about the events upon which the pardon was received. Any agency shall
reply to any inquiry concerning the records pertaining to the events
for which the subject received a pardon that records are confidential,
and no information can be given about the existence or nonexistence of
records concerning an individual.
(((15))) (17) Inspection of the files and records included in the
order to seal may thereafter be permitted only by order of the court
upon motion made by the person who is the subject of the information or
complaint, except as otherwise provided in RCW 13.50.010(8) and
subsection (((23))) (26) of this section.
(((16))) (18) The restrictions in subsection (2) of this section do
not limit the access by agencies to any juvenile records for research
and data-gathering purposes as provided in RCW 13.50.010(8).
(19) Any adjudication of a juvenile offense or a crime subsequent
to sealing has the effect of nullifying the sealing order. Any
charging of an adult felony subsequent to the sealing has the effect of
nullifying the sealing order for the purposes of chapter 9.94A RCW.
The administrative office of the courts shall ensure that the superior
court judicial information system provides prosecutors access to
information on the existence of sealed juvenile records.
(((17))) (20)(a)(i) Subject to subsection (((23))) (26) of this
section, all records maintained by any court or law enforcement agency,
including the juvenile court, local law enforcement, the Washington
state patrol, and the prosecutor's office, shall be automatically
destroyed within ninety days of becoming eligible for destruction.
Juvenile records are eligible for destruction when:
(A) The person who is the subject of the information or complaint
is at least eighteen years of age;
(B) His or her criminal history consists entirely of one diversion
agreement or counsel and release entered on or after June 12, 2008;
(C) Two years have elapsed since completion of the agreement or
counsel and release;
(D) No proceeding is pending against the person seeking the
conviction of a criminal offense; and
(E) There is no restitution owing in the case.
(ii) No less than quarterly, the administrative office of the
courts shall provide a report to the juvenile courts of those
individuals whose records may be eligible for destruction. The
juvenile court shall verify eligibility and notify the Washington state
patrol and the appropriate local law enforcement agency and
prosecutor's office of the records to be destroyed. The requirement to
destroy records under this subsection is not dependent on a court
hearing or the issuance of a court order to destroy records.
(iii) The state and local governments and their officers and
employees are not liable for civil damages for the failure to destroy
records pursuant to this section.
(b) All records maintained by any court or law enforcement agency,
including the juvenile court, local law enforcement, the Washington
state patrol, and the prosecutor's office, shall be automatically
destroyed within thirty days of being notified by the governor's office
that the subject of those records received a full and unconditional
pardon by the governor.
(c) A person eighteen years of age or older whose criminal history
consists entirely of one diversion agreement or counsel and release
entered prior to June 12, 2008, may request that the court order the
records in his or her case destroyed. The request shall be granted,
subject to subsection (((23))) (26) of this section, if the court finds
that two years have elapsed since completion of the agreement or
counsel and release.
(d) A person twenty-three years of age or older whose criminal
history consists of only referrals for diversion may request that the
court order the records in those cases destroyed. The request shall be
granted, subject to subsection (((23))) (26) of this section, if the
court finds that all diversion agreements have been successfully
completed and no proceeding is pending against the person seeking the
conviction of a criminal offense.
(((18))) (21) If the court grants the motion to destroy records
made pursuant to subsection (((17))) (20)(c) or (d) of this section, it
shall, subject to subsection (((23))) (26) of this section, order the
official juvenile court file, the social file, and any other records
named in the order to be destroyed.
(((19))) (22) The person making the motion pursuant to subsection
(((17))) (20)(c) or (d) of this section shall give reasonable notice of
the motion to the prosecuting attorney and to any agency whose records
are sought to be destroyed.
(((20))) (23) Any juvenile to whom the provisions of this section
may apply shall be given written notice of his or her rights under this
section at the time of his or her disposition hearing or during the
diversion process.
(((21))) (24) Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent
a crime victim or a member of the victim's family from divulging the
identity of the alleged or proven juvenile offender or his or her
family when necessary in a civil proceeding.
(((22))) (25) Any juvenile justice or care agency may, subject to
the limitations in subsection (((23))) (26) of this section and (a) and
(b) of this subsection, develop procedures for the routine destruction
of records relating to juvenile offenses and diversions.
(a) Records may be routinely destroyed only when the person the
subject of the information or complaint has attained twenty-three years
of age or older or pursuant to subsection (((17))) (20)(a) of this
section.
(b) The court may not routinely destroy the official juvenile court
file or recordings or transcripts of any proceedings.
(((23))) (26) Except for subsection (((17))) (20)(b) of this
section, no identifying information held by the Washington state patrol
in accordance with chapter 43.43 RCW is subject to destruction or
sealing under this section. For the purposes of this subsection,
identifying information includes photographs, fingerprints, palmprints,
soleprints, toeprints and any other data that identifies a person by
physical characteristics, name, birthdate or address, but does not
include information regarding criminal activity, arrest, charging,
diversion, conviction or other information about a person's treatment
by the criminal justice system or about the person's behavior.
(((24))) (27) Information identifying child victims under age
eighteen who are victims of sexual assaults by juvenile offenders is
confidential and not subject to release to the press or public without
the permission of the child victim or the child's legal guardian.
Identifying information includes the child victim's name, addresses,
location, photographs, and in cases in which the child victim is a
relative of the alleged perpetrator, identification of the relationship
between the child and the alleged perpetrator. Information identifying
a child victim of sexual assault may be released to law enforcement,
prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, or private or governmental
agencies that provide services to the child victim of sexual assault.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 Section 2 of this act applies prospectively
and retroactively to all existing official juvenile court files of any
alleged or proven juvenile offender.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 Section 2 of this act takes effect July 1,
2014.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2013, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void."
ESHB 1651 -
By Committee on Ways & Means
NOT CONSIDERED
On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "records;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 13.50.050; creating new sections; and providing an effective date."
EFFECT: The bill is replaced in its entirety. Court records and public court indices containing nonadjudication or nonconviction information relating to the commission of juvenile offenses are restricted from public access. Nonadjudication or nonconviction information means information contained in records collected by the courts relating to arrest, probable cause hearings, citation, and charges that did not lead to an adjudication; charges resulting in a dismissal or acquittal; and charges dismissed pursuant to a diversion or deferred sentence. All other juvenile court records remain open for public access. The restriction on nonadjudication or nonconviction information does not limit access by agencies for research purposes. These provisions apply prospectively and retroactively. If funding is not provided in the budget to implement this act, the act is null and void.