ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5256
State of Washington
65th Legislature
2017 Regular Session
By Senate Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Fain, Pedersen, Zeiger, Palumbo, Miloscia, Frockt, Darneille, Chase, Kuderer, and Hunt)
READ FIRST TIME 02/17/17.
AN ACT Relating to sexual assault protection orders; and amending RCW 7.90.120, 7.90.121, 7.90.170, and 9.41.040.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1.  RCW 7.90.120 and 2013 c 74 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)(a) An ex parte temporary sexual assault protection order shall be effective for a fixed period not to exceed fourteen days. A full hearing, as provided in this chapter, shall be set for not later than fourteen days from the issuance of the temporary order or not later than twenty-four days if service by publication or service by mail is permitted. If the court permits service by publication or service by mail, the court shall also reissue the ex parte temporary protection order not to exceed another twenty-four days from the date of reissuing the ex parte protection order. Except as provided in RCW 7.90.050, 7.90.052, or 7.90.053, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the ex parte temporary sexual assault protection order along with a copy of the petition and notice of the date set for the hearing.
(b) Any ex parte temporary order issued under this section shall contain the date and time of issuance and the expiration date and shall be entered into a statewide judicial information system by the clerk of the court within one judicial day after issuance.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section or RCW 7.90.150, a final sexual assault protection order shall be effective for a fixed period of time((, not to exceed two years)) or be permanent.
(3) Any sexual assault protection order which would expire on a court holiday shall instead expire at the close of the next court business day.
(4) The practice of dismissing or suspending a criminal prosecution in exchange for the issuance of a sexual assault protection order undermines the purposes of this chapter. This section shall not be construed as encouraging that practice.
Sec. 2.  RCW 7.90.121 and 2013 c 74 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Any ex parte temporary or nonpermanent final sexual assault protection order may be renewed one or more times, as required.
(2) The petitioner may apply for renewal of the order by filing a motion for renewal at any time within the three months before the order expires. The motion for renewal shall state the reasons why the petitioner seeks to renew the protection order.
(3) ((If the motion for renewal is uncontested and the petitioner seeks no modification of the order, the order may be renewed on the basis of the petitioner's motion or affidavit stating that there has been no material change in relevant circumstances since entry of the order and stating the reason for the requested renewal.)) (a) The court shall grant the motion for renewal unless the respondent proves by a preponderance of the evidence that there has been a material change in circumstances such that the respondent is not likely to engage in or attempt to engage in physical or nonphysical contact with the petitioner when the order expires.
(b) For purposes of this subsection (3), a court shall determine whether there has been a material change in circumstances by considering only factors which address whether the respondent is likely to engage in or attempt to engage in physical or nonphysical contact with the petitioner when the order expires. The passage of time and compliance with the existing protection order shall not, alone, be sufficient to meet this burden of proof. The court may renew the sexual assault protection order for another fixed time period or may enter a permanent order as provided in this section.
(c) In determining whether there has been a material change in circumstances, the court may consider the following unweighted factors, and no inference is to be drawn from the order in which the factors are listed:
(i) Whether the respondent has committed or threatened sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, or other violent acts since the protection order was entered;
(ii) Whether the respondent has violated the terms of the protection order and the time that has passed since the entry of the order;
(iii) Whether the respondent has exhibited suicidal ideation or attempts since the protection order was entered;
(iv) Whether the respondent has been convicted of criminal activity since the protection order was entered;
(v) Whether the respondent has either acknowledged responsibility for acts of sexual assault that resulted in entry of the protection order or successfully completed sexual assault perpetrator treatment or counseling since the protection order was entered;
(vi) Whether the respondent has a continuing involvement with drug or alcohol abuse, if such abuse was a factor in the protection order;
(vii) Whether the respondent or petitioner has relocated to an area more distant from the other party, giving due consideration to the fact that acts of sexual assault may be committed from any distance such as via cybercrime;
(viii) Other factors relating to a material change in circumstances.
(4)(a) If the motion is contested, upon receipt of the motion, the court shall order that a hearing be held not later than fourteen days from the date of the order.
(b) The court may schedule a hearing by telephone pursuant to local court rule, to reasonably accommodate a disability, or in exceptional circumstances to protect a petitioner from further nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration. The court shall require assurances of the petitioner's identity before conducting a telephonic hearing.
(c) The respondent shall be personally served not less than five court days prior to the hearing. If timely personal service cannot be made, the court shall set a new hearing date and shall either require additional attempts at obtaining personal service or permit service by publication as provided in RCW 7.90.052 or service by mail as provided in RCW 7.90.053. The court shall not require more than two attempts at obtaining personal service and shall permit service by publication or service by mail unless the petitioner requests additional time to attempt personal service. If the court permits service by publication or service by mail, the court shall set the hearing date not later than twenty-four days from the date of the order.
(5) Renewals may be granted only in open court.
Sec. 3.  RCW 7.90.170 and 2013 c 74 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Upon ((receipt of)) a motion ((to)) with notice to all parties and after a hearing, the court may terminate or modify the terms of an existing sexual assault protection order, including terms entered pursuant to RCW 9.41.800 related to firearms or other dangerous weapons or to concealed pistol licenses.
(2)(a) A respondent's motion to terminate or modify a sexual assault protection order must include a declaration setting forth facts supporting the requested order for termination or modification. The nonmoving parties to the proceeding may file opposing declarations. The court shall deny the motion unless it finds that adequate cause for hearing the motion is established by the declarations. If the court finds that the respondent established adequate cause, the court shall set a date for hearing the respondent's motion.
(b) The court may terminate or modify the terms of a sexual assault protection order, including terms entered pursuant to RCW 9.41.800 related to firearms or other dangerous weapons or to concealed pistol licenses, if the respondent proves by a preponderance of the evidence that there has been a material change in circumstances such that the respondent is not likely to engage in or attempt to engage in physical or nonphysical contact with the persons protected by the protection order if the order is terminated or modified. The petitioner bears no burden of proving that he or she has a current reasonable fear of harm by the respondent.
(c) A respondent may file a motion to terminate or modify pursuant to this section no more than once in every twelve-month period that the order is in effect, starting from the date of the order and continuing through any renewal.
(d) A court may require the respondent to pay the petitioner for costs incurred in responding to a motion to terminate or modify pursuant to this section, including reasonable attorneys' fees.
(3) The court shall order that a hearing on the motion for termination or modification of the order be held not later than fourteen days from the date of the order. The ((respondent)) nonmoving party shall be personally served not less than five days before the hearing. If timely service cannot be made, the court shall set a new hearing date and shall either require additional attempts at obtaining personal service or permit service by publication as provided in RCW 7.90.052 or service by mail as provided in RCW 7.90.053. If the court permits service by mail or service by publication, the court shall set the new hearing date not later than twenty-four days from the date of the order. ((If the order expires because timely service cannot be made, the court shall grant an ex parte order of protection as provided in RCW 7.90.110. The court may modify the protection order for another fixed time period or may enter a permanent order as provided in RCW 7.90.120.
(2))) (4) In any situation where an order is terminated or modified before its expiration date, the clerk of the court shall forward on or before the next judicial day a true copy of the modified order or the termination order to the appropriate law enforcement agency specified in the modified or termination order. Upon receipt of the order, the law enforcement agency shall promptly enter it in the computer-based criminal intelligence information system, or if the order is terminated, remove the order from the computer-based criminal intelligence information system.
Sec. 4.  RCW 9.41.040 and 2016 c 136 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)(a) A person, whether an adult or juvenile, is guilty of the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree, if the person owns, has in his or her possession, or has in his or her control any firearm after having previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state or elsewhere of any serious offense as defined in this chapter.
(b) Unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree is a class B felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.
(2)(a) A person, whether an adult or juvenile, is guilty of the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, if the person does not qualify under subsection (1) of this section for the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree and the person owns, has in his or her possession, or has in his or her control any firearm:
(i) After having previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state or elsewhere of any felony not specifically listed as prohibiting firearm possession under subsection (1) of this section, or any of the following crimes when committed by one family or household member against another, committed on or after July 1, 1993: Assault in the fourth degree, coercion, stalking, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass in the first degree, or violation of the provisions of a protection order or no-contact order restraining the person or excluding the person from a residence (RCW 26.50.060, 26.50.070, 26.50.130, or 10.99.040);
(ii) During any period of time that the person is subject to a court order issued under chapter 7.90, 7.92, 9A.46, 10.14, 10.99, 26.09, 26.10, 26.26, or 26.50 RCW that:
(A) Was issued after a hearing of which the person received actual notice, and at which the person had an opportunity to participate;
(B) Restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of the person or child of the intimate partner or person, or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child; and
(C)(I) Includes a finding that the person represents a credible threat to the physical safety of the intimate partner or child; and
(II) By its terms, explicitly prohibits the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the intimate partner or child that would reasonably be expected to cause bodily injury;
(iii) After having previously been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment under RCW 71.05.240, 71.05.320, 71.34.740, 71.34.750, chapter 10.77 RCW, or equivalent statutes of another jurisdiction, unless his or her right to possess a firearm has been restored as provided in RCW 9.41.047;
(iv) If the person is under eighteen years of age, except as provided in RCW 9.41.042; and/or
(v) If the person is free on bond or personal recognizance pending trial, appeal, or sentencing for a serious offense as defined in RCW 9.41.010.
(b) (a)(ii) of this subsection does not apply to a sexual assault protection order under chapter 7.90 RCW if the order has been modified pursuant to RCW 7.90.170 to remove any restrictions on firearm purchase, transfer, or possession.
(c) Unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree is a class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.
(3) Notwithstanding RCW 9.41.047 or any other provisions of law, as used in this chapter, a person has been "convicted", whether in an adult court or adjudicated in a juvenile court, at such time as a plea of guilty has been accepted, or a verdict of guilty has been filed, notwithstanding the pendency of any future proceedings including but not limited to sentencing or disposition, post-trial or post-fact-finding motions, and appeals. Conviction includes a dismissal entered after a period of probation, suspension or deferral of sentence, and also includes equivalent dispositions by courts in jurisdictions other than Washington state. A person shall not be precluded from possession of a firearm if the conviction has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, certificate of rehabilitation, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of the rehabilitation of the person convicted or the conviction or disposition has been the subject of a pardon, annulment, or other equivalent procedure based on a finding of innocence. Where no record of the court's disposition of the charges can be found, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person was not convicted of the charge.
(4)(a) Notwithstanding subsection (1) or (2) of this section, a person convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of an offense prohibiting the possession of a firearm under this section other than murder, manslaughter, robbery, rape, indecent liberties, arson, assault, kidnapping, extortion, burglary, or violations with respect to controlled substances under RCW 69.50.401 and 69.50.410, who received a probationary sentence under RCW 9.95.200, and who received a dismissal of the charge under RCW 9.95.240, shall not be precluded from possession of a firearm as a result of the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, if a person is prohibited from possession of a firearm under subsection (1) or (2) of this section and has not previously been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of a sex offense prohibiting firearm ownership under subsection (1) or (2) of this section and/or any felony defined under any law as a class A felony or with a maximum sentence of at least twenty years, or both, the individual may petition a court of record to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored:
(i) Under RCW 9.41.047; and/or
(ii)(A) If the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity was for a felony offense, after five or more consecutive years in the community without being convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity or currently charged with any felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor crimes, if the individual has no prior felony convictions that prohibit the possession of a firearm counted as part of the offender score under RCW 9.94A.525; or
(B) If the conviction or finding of not guilty by reason of insanity was for a nonfelony offense, after three or more consecutive years in the community without being convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity or currently charged with any felony, gross misdemeanor, or misdemeanor crimes, if the individual has no prior felony convictions that prohibit the possession of a firearm counted as part of the offender score under RCW 9.94A.525 and the individual has completed all conditions of the sentence.
(b) An individual may petition a court of record to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored under (a) of this subsection (4) only at:
(i) The court of record that ordered the petitioner's prohibition on possession of a firearm; or
(ii) The superior court in the county in which the petitioner resides.
(5) In addition to any other penalty provided for by law, if a person under the age of eighteen years is found by a court to have possessed a firearm in a vehicle in violation of subsection (1) or (2) of this section or to have committed an offense while armed with a firearm during which offense a motor vehicle served an integral function, the court shall notify the department of licensing within twenty-four hours and the person's privilege to drive shall be revoked under RCW 46.20.265, unless the offense is the juvenile's first offense in violation of this section and has not committed an offense while armed with a firearm, an unlawful possession of a firearm offense, or an offense in violation of chapter 66.44, 69.52, 69.41, or 69.50 RCW.
(6) Nothing in chapter 129, Laws of 1995 shall ever be construed or interpreted as preventing an offender from being charged and subsequently convicted for the separate felony crimes of theft of a firearm or possession of a stolen firearm, or both, in addition to being charged and subsequently convicted under this section for unlawful possession of a firearm in the first or second degree. Notwithstanding any other law, if the offender is convicted under this section for unlawful possession of a firearm in the first or second degree and for the felony crimes of theft of a firearm or possession of a stolen firearm, or both, then the offender shall serve consecutive sentences for each of the felony crimes of conviction listed in this subsection.
(7) Each firearm unlawfully possessed under this section shall be a separate offense.
(8) For purposes of this section, "intimate partner" includes: A spouse, a domestic partner, a former spouse, a former domestic partner, a person with whom the restrained person has a child in common, or a person with whom the restrained person has cohabitated or is cohabitating as part of a dating relationship.
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