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Sec. 1. RCW 10.82.090 and 2015 c 265 s 23 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, financial obligations imposed in a judgment shall bear interest from the date of the judgment until payment, at the rate
((applicable to civil judgments)) of four percent. All nonrestitution interest retained by the court 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.
(2) The court may, on motion by the offender, following the offender's release from total confinement, reduce or waive the interest on legal financial obligations levied as a result of a criminal conviction as follows:
(a) The court shall waive all interest on the portions of the legal financial obligations that are not restitution that accrued during the term of total confinement for the conviction giving rise to the financial obligations, provided the offender shows that the interest creates a hardship for the offender or his or her immediate family;
(b) The court may reduce interest on the restitution portion of the legal financial obligations only if the principal has been paid in full;
(c) The court may otherwise reduce or waive the interest on the portions of the legal financial obligations that are not restitution if the offender shows that he or she has personally made a good faith effort to pay and that the interest accrual is causing a significant hardship. For purposes of this section, "good faith effort" means that the offender has either (i) paid the principal amount in full; or (ii) made at least fifteen monthly payments within an eighteen-month period, excluding any payments mandatorily deducted by the department of corrections;
(d) For purposes of (a) through (c) of this subsection, the court may reduce or waive interest on legal financial obligations only as an incentive for the offender to meet his or her other legal financial obligations. The court may grant the motion, establish a payment schedule, and retain jurisdiction over the offender for purposes of reviewing and revising the reduction or waiver of interest.
(3) This section only applies to adult offenders.
Sec. 2. RCW 3.50.100 and 2012 c 136 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)) four 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 2012 c 262 s 1, 2012 c 136 s 4, and 2012 c 134 s 6 are each reenacted and 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,
7.84.100(4), 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) Except as provided in RCW
7.84.100(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)) four 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 2012 c 136 s 5 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)) four 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 35.20.220 and 2012 c 136 s 7 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)) four 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. 6. RCW 43.43.7541 and 2015 c 265 s 31 are each amended to read as follows:
Every sentence imposed for a crime specified in RCW
43.43.754 must include a fee of one hundred dollars
unless the state has previously collected the offender's DNA as a result of a prior conviction. The fee is a court
-ordered legal financial obligation as defined in RCW
9.94A.030 and other applicable law. For a sentence imposed under chapter
9.94A RCW, the fee is payable by the offender after payment of all other legal financial obligations included in the sentence has been completed. For all other sentences, the fee is payable by the offender in the same manner as other assessments imposed. The clerk of the court shall transmit eighty percent of the fee collected to the state treasurer for deposit in the state DNA database account created under RCW
43.43.7532, and shall transmit twenty percent of the fee collected to the agency responsible for collection of a biological sample from the offender as required under RCW
43.43.754. This fee shall not be imposed on juvenile offenders if the state has previously collected the juvenile offender's DNA as a result of a prior conviction.
Sec. 7. RCW 10.01.160 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 35 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The court may require a defendant to pay costs. Costs may be imposed only upon a convicted defendant, except for costs imposed upon a defendant's entry into a deferred prosecution program, costs imposed upon a defendant for pretrial supervision, or costs imposed upon a defendant for preparing and serving a warrant for failure to appear.
(2) Costs shall be limited to expenses specially incurred by the state in prosecuting the defendant or in administering the deferred prosecution program under chapter
10.05 RCW or pretrial supervision. They cannot include expenses inherent in providing a constitutionally guaranteed jury trial or expenditures in connection with the maintenance and operation of government agencies that must be made by the public irrespective of specific violations of law. Expenses incurred for serving of warrants for failure to appear and jury fees under RCW
10.46.190 may be included in costs the court may require a defendant to pay. Costs for administering a deferred prosecution may not exceed two hundred fifty dollars. Costs for administering a pretrial supervision other than a pretrial electronic alcohol monitoring program, drug monitoring program, or 24/7 sobriety program may not exceed one hundred fifty dollars. Costs for preparing and serving a warrant for failure to appear may not exceed one hundred dollars. Costs of incarceration imposed on a defendant convicted of a misdemeanor or a gross misdemeanor may not exceed the actual cost of incarceration. In no case may the court require the offender to pay more than one hundred dollars per day for the cost of incarceration. Payment of other court-ordered financial obligations, including all legal financial obligations and costs of supervision take precedence over the payment of the cost of incarceration ordered by the court. All funds received from defendants for the cost of incarceration in the county or city jail must be remitted for criminal justice purposes to the county or city that is responsible for the defendant's jail costs. Costs imposed constitute a judgment against a defendant and survive a dismissal of the underlying action against the defendant. However, if the defendant is acquitted on the underlying action, the costs for preparing and serving a warrant for failure to appear do not survive the acquittal, and the judgment that such costs would otherwise constitute shall be vacated.
(3) The court shall not order a defendant to pay costs unless the defendant is or will be able to pay them. In determining the amount and method of payment of costs, the court shall take account of the financial resources of the defendant and the nature of the burden that payment of costs will impose. However, this subsection does not create a statutory obligation for the trial court to make an individualized inquiry into a defendant's current and future ability to pay before the court imposes costs. A trial court shall not be required to conduct a case by case analysis and evaluate an individual defendant's circumstances but may use standard language in a judgment and sentence that makes the findings required under this subsection. A defendant may seek modification of the judgment and sentence order in the event the defendant is unable to pay as allowed by law and court rule.
(4) A defendant who has been ordered to pay costs and who is not in contumacious default in the payment thereof may at any time petition the sentencing court for remission of the payment of costs or of any unpaid portion thereof. If it appears to the satisfaction of the court that payment of the amount due will impose manifest hardship on the defendant or the defendant's immediate family, the court may remit all or part of the amount due in costs, or modify the method of payment under RCW
10.01.170.
(5) Except for direct costs relating to evaluating and reporting to the court, prosecutor, or defense counsel regarding a defendant's competency to stand trial as provided in RCW
10.77.060, this section shall not apply to costs related to medical or mental health treatment or services a defendant receives while in custody of the secretary of the department of social and health services or other governmental units. This section shall not prevent the secretary of the department of social and health services or other governmental units from imposing liability and seeking reimbursement from a defendant committed to an appropriate facility as provided in RCW
10.77.084 while criminal proceedings are stayed. This section shall also not prevent governmental units from imposing liability on defendants for costs related to providing medical or mental health treatment while the defendant is in the governmental unit's custody. Medical or mental health treatment and services a defendant receives at a state hospital or other facility are not a cost of prosecution and shall be recoverable under RCW
10.77.250 and
70.48.130, chapter
43.20B RCW, and any other applicable statute.
Sec. 8. RCW 9.94A.760 and 2011 c 106 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Whenever a person is convicted in superior court, the court may order the payment of a legal financial obligation as part of the sentence. The court must on either the judgment and sentence or on a subsequent order to pay, designate the total amount of a legal financial obligation and segregate this amount among the separate assessments made for restitution((,)) to victims that have not been fully compensated from other sources; restitution to insurance or other sources with respect to a loss that has provided compensation to victims; and costs, fines, and other assessments required by law. ((On the same order,)) Restitution shall be entered pursuant to the priorities set in the order setting restitution. The court is also to set a sum that the offender is required to pay on a monthly basis towards satisfying the legal financial obligation. If the court fails to set the offender monthly payment amount, the department shall set the amount if the department has active supervision of the offender, otherwise the county clerk shall set the amount.
(2) Upon receipt of ((an offender's monthly)) each payment((, restitution shall be paid prior to any payments of other monetary obligations. After restitution is satisfied, the county clerk shall distribute the payment proportionally among all other fines, costs, and assessments imposed, unless otherwise ordered by the court)) made by or on behalf of an offender, the payment shall be distributed in the following order of priority until satisfied:
(a) First, proportionally to restitution to victims that have not been fully compensated from other sources;
(b) Second, proportionally to restitution to insurance or other sources with respect to a loss that has provided compensation to victims;
(c) Third, proportionally to crime victims' assessments; and
(d) Fourth, proportionally to costs, fines, and other assessments required by law.
(((2))) (3) If the court determines that the offender, at the time of sentencing, has the means to pay for the cost of incarceration, the court may require the offender to pay for the cost of incarceration at a rate of fifty dollars per day of incarceration, if incarcerated in a prison, or the court may require the offender to pay the actual cost of incarceration per day of incarceration, if incarcerated in a county jail. In no case may the court require the offender to pay more than one hundred dollars per day for the cost of incarceration. ((Payment of other court-ordered financial obligations, including all legal financial obligations and costs of supervision shall take precedence over the payment of the cost of incarceration ordered by the court.)) All funds recovered from offenders for the cost of incarceration in the county jail shall be remitted to the county and the costs of incarceration in a prison shall be remitted to the department.
(((3))) (4) The court may add to the judgment and sentence or subsequent order to pay a statement that a notice of payroll deduction is to be issued immediately. If the court chooses not to order the immediate issuance of a notice of payroll deduction at sentencing, the court shall add to the judgment and sentence or subsequent order to pay a statement that a notice of payroll deduction may be issued or other income-withholding action may be taken, without further notice to the offender if a monthly court-ordered legal financial obligation payment is not paid when due, and an amount equal to or greater than the amount payable for one month is owed.
If a judgment and sentence or subsequent order to pay does not include the statement that a notice of payroll deduction may be issued or other income-withholding action may be taken if a monthly legal financial obligation payment is past due, the department or the county clerk may serve a notice on the offender stating such requirements and authorizations. Service shall be by personal service or any form of mail requiring a return receipt.
(((4))) (5) Independent of the department or the county clerk, the party or entity to whom the legal financial obligation is owed shall have the authority to use any other remedies available to the party or entity to collect the legal financial obligation. These remedies include enforcement in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action by the party or entity to whom the legal financial obligation is owed. Restitution collected through civil enforcement must be paid through the registry of the court and must be distributed proportionately according to each victim's loss when there is more than one victim. The judgment and sentence shall identify the party or entity to whom restitution is owed so that the state, party, or entity may enforce the judgment. If restitution is ordered pursuant to RCW
9.94A.750(6) or
9.94A.753(6) to a victim of rape of a child or a victim's child born from the rape, the Washington state child support registry shall be identified as the party to whom payments must be made. Restitution obligations arising from the rape of a child in the first, second, or third degree that result in the pregnancy of the victim may be enforced for the time periods provided under RCW
9.94A.750(6) and
9.94A.753(6). All other legal financial obligations for an offense committed prior to July 1, 2000, may be enforced at any time during the ten-year period following the offender's release from total confinement or within ten years of entry of the judgment and sentence, whichever period ends later. Prior to the expiration of the initial ten-year period, the superior court may extend the criminal judgment an additional ten years for payment of legal financial obligations including crime victims' assessments. All other legal financial obligations for an offense committed on or after July 1, 2000, may be enforced at any time the offender remains under the court's jurisdiction. For an offense committed on or after July 1, 2000, the court shall retain jurisdiction over the offender, for purposes of the offender's compliance with payment of the legal financial obligations, until the obligation is completely satisfied, regardless of the statutory maximum for the crime. The department may only supervise the offender's compliance with payment of the legal financial obligations during any period in which the department is authorized to supervise the offender in the community under RCW
9.94A.728,
9.94A.501, or in which the offender is confined in a state correctional institution or a correctional facility pursuant to a transfer agreement with the department, and the department shall supervise the offender's compliance during any such period. The department is not responsible for supervision of the offender during any subsequent period of time the offender remains under the court's jurisdiction. The county clerk is authorized to collect unpaid legal financial obligations at any time the offender remains under the jurisdiction of the court for purposes of his or her legal financial obligations.
(((5))) (6) In order to assist the court in setting a monthly sum that the offender must pay during the period of supervision, the offender is required to report to the department for purposes of preparing a recommendation to the court. When reporting, the offender is required, under oath, to respond truthfully and honestly to all questions concerning present, past, and future earning capabilities and the location and nature of all property or financial assets. The offender is further required to bring all documents requested by the department.
(((6))) (7) After completing the investigation, the department shall make a report to the court on the amount of the monthly payment that the offender should be required to make towards a satisfied legal financial obligation.
(((7))) (8)(a) During the period of supervision, the department may make a recommendation to the court that the offender's monthly payment schedule be modified so as to reflect a change in financial circumstances. If the department sets the monthly payment amount, the department may modify the monthly payment amount without the matter being returned to the court. During the period of supervision, the department may require the offender to report to the department for the purposes of reviewing the appropriateness of the collection schedule for the legal financial obligation. During this reporting, the offender is required under oath to respond truthfully and honestly to all questions concerning earning capabilities and the location and nature of all property or financial assets. The offender shall bring all documents requested by the department in order to prepare the collection schedule.
(b) Subsequent to any period of supervision, or if the department is not authorized to supervise the offender in the community, the county clerk may make a recommendation to the court that the offender's monthly payment schedule be modified so as to reflect a change in financial circumstances. If the county clerk sets the monthly payment amount, or if the department set the monthly payment amount and the department has subsequently turned the collection of the legal financial obligation over to the county clerk, the clerk may modify the monthly payment amount without the matter being returned to the court. During the period of repayment, the county clerk may require the offender to report to the clerk for the purpose of reviewing the appropriateness of the collection schedule for the legal financial obligation. During this reporting, the offender is required under oath to respond truthfully and honestly to all questions concerning earning capabilities and the location and nature of all property or financial assets. The offender shall bring all documents requested by the county clerk in order to prepare the collection schedule.
(((8))) (9) After the judgment and sentence or payment order is entered, the department is authorized, for any period of supervision, to collect the legal financial obligation from the offender. Subsequent to any period of supervision or, if the department is not authorized to supervise the offender in the community, the county clerk is authorized to collect unpaid legal financial obligations from the offender. Any amount collected by the department shall be remitted daily to the county clerk for the purpose of disbursements. The department and the county clerks are authorized, but not required, to accept credit cards as payment for a legal financial obligation, and any costs incurred related to accepting credit card payments shall be the responsibility of the offender.
(((9))) (10) The department or any obligee of the legal financial obligation may seek a mandatory wage assignment for the purposes of obtaining satisfaction for the legal financial obligation pursuant to RCW
9.94A.7701. Any party obtaining a wage assignment shall notify the county clerk. The county clerks shall notify the department, or the administrative office of the courts, whichever is providing the monthly billing for the offender.
(((10))) (11) The requirement that the offender pay a monthly sum towards a legal financial obligation constitutes a condition or requirement of a sentence and the offender is subject to the penalties for noncompliance as provided in RCW
9.94B.040,
9.94A.737, or
9.94A.740.
(((11))) (12)(a) The administrative office of the courts shall mail individualized periodic billings to the address known by the office for each offender with an unsatisfied legal financial obligation.
(b) The billing shall direct payments, other than outstanding cost of supervision assessments under RCW
9.94A.780, parole assessments under RCW
72.04A.120, and cost of probation assessments under RCW
9.95.214, to the county clerk, and cost of supervision, parole, or probation assessments to the department.
(c) The county clerk shall provide the administrative office of the courts with notice of payments by such offenders no less frequently than weekly.
(d) The county clerks, the administrative office of the courts, and the department shall maintain agreements to implement this subsection.
(((12))) (13) The department shall arrange for the collection of unpaid legal financial obligations during any period of supervision in the community through the county clerk. The department shall either collect unpaid legal financial obligations or arrange for collections through another entity if the clerk does not assume responsibility or is unable to continue to assume responsibility for collection pursuant to subsection (((4))) (5) of this section. The costs for collection services shall be paid by the offender.
(((13))) (14) The county clerk may access the records of the employment security department for the purposes of verifying employment or income, seeking any assignment of wages, or performing other duties necessary to the collection of an offender's legal financial obligations.
(((14))) (15) Nothing in this chapter makes the department, the state, the counties, or any state or county employees, agents, or other persons acting on their behalf liable under any circumstances for the payment of these legal financial obligations or for the acts of any offender who is no longer, or was not, subject to supervision by the department for a term of community custody, and who remains under the jurisdiction of the court for payment of legal financial obligations.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Nothing in this act requires the courts to refund or reimburse amounts previously paid towards legal financial obligations or interest on legal financial obligations.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. This act takes effect July 1, 2016."