SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 2926

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Sponsors: Representatives Maycumber, Blake, Kretz, MacEwen, Van Werven, Mosbrucker, Graham, Hoff, Griffey, Stokesbary, Chambers, Ybarra, Dent, Barkis, Goehner, Chandler, Kraft, Goodman, Lovick, Ortiz-Self, Senn, Gildon, Sells, Boehnke, Davis, Smith, Dye, Orwall, Eslick, Shewmake, Pollet, Riccelli and Harris.

Committee Activity: Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care: 2/21/20, 2/27/20 [DP-WM].

Ways & Means: 2/29/20, 3/02/20 [DPA, DNP, w/oRec].

Brief Summary of Amended Bill

Requires the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) to inventory critical incident stress management programs available to law enforcement agencies statewide.
Requires CJTC to coordinate with others to expand access to critical incident stress management programs.

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Signed by Senators Dhingra, Chair; Wagoner, Ranking Member; Darneille, Frockt and O'Ban.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

Signed by Senators Rolfes, Chair; Frockt, Vice Chair, Operating, Capital Lead; Mullet, Capital Budget Cabinet; Billig, Carlyle, Conway, Darneille, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Hunt, Keiser, Liias, Muzzall, Pedersen, Schoesler, Van De Wege and Wagoner.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.

Signed by Senators Braun, Ranking Member; Brown, Assistant Ranking Member, Operating; Warnick.

Background: The CJTC establishes standards and provides training to criminal justice professionals, including peace officers and local corrections officers.

Critical incidents generally involve an event that lies outside the range of usual human experience that have the potential to exhaust one's usual coping mechanisms, resulting in psychological distress and disruption of normal adaptive functioning. Critical incident stress management programs help to address issues of secondary traumatization and include but are not limited to: peer support counseling; crisis intervention; traumatic incident reduction; and stress management.

A peer support group counselor means, in the the context of a law enforcement agency, an employee of the agency that provides emotional or moral support and counseling to other law enforcement personnel relating to incidents encountered by the law enforcement officer while acting in an official capacity.

Summary of Amended Bill: Subject to appropriation, CJTC must:

conduct an inventory of current critical incident stress management programs in Washington;
assess underserved agencies and regions;
coordinate with law enforcement agencies, fire departments, law enforcement organizations, other first responder organizations, and community partners to provide greater access to critical incident stress management programs, including peer support group counselors; and
assist agencies with expanding such programs.

CJTC must submit a report to the Legislature and Governor on July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on House Bill (Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care): PRO: The bill is a good complement to SSB 6570 (2020). Our officers have to help people through tragedies and not show how they are feeling. This bill will address officer health and wellness and position us to be a leader in the country in helping law enforcement officers. Officers are not immune from the emotional trauma of those they go to help. They respond to calls that are tragic and graphic and we expect them to respond to a noise complaint with the same level of respect and attention. More officers are lost each year by their own hands than by the hands of others. This bill gets our wellness better.

Persons Testifying (Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care): PRO: James McMahan, Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs; John Snaza, Thurston County Sheriff; Michael Transue, Washington Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police; Jeff DeVere, Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs (WACOPS).

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on House Bill (Ways & Means): The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO: This bill, along with Senate Bill 6570, supports addressing officer health and wellness. This bill is a pathway to better services, and is needed and important.