H-2081.1

HOUSE BILL 2129

ByRepresentatives Stokesbary and Pollet

AN ACT Relating to crimes of harassment; amending RCW 9.61.260, 9A.46.110, 7.92.020, 9A.46.060, 26.50.060, and 26.50.070; reenacting and amending RCW 9.94A.515; and prescribing penalties.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 9.61.260 and 2004 c 94 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A person is guilty of ((cyberstalking))cyber harassment if he or she, with intent to harass, intimidate, or torment((, or embarrass)) any other person, and under circumstances not constituting telephone harassment, makes an electronic communication to ((such other person or a third party)):

(a) ((Using))Another person or to a third party that contains a threat to inflict injury on the person or property of the other person or any member of the other person's family or household; or

(i) Uses any lewd, lascivious, indecent, or obscene words, images, or language, or ((suggesting))suggests the commission of any lewd or lascivious act;

(((b)))or

(ii) Is made anonymously or repeatedly whether or not conversation occurs((; or

(c) Threatening to inflict injury on the person or property of the person called or any member of his or her family or household)).

(2) ((Cyberstalking))Cyber harassment is a gross misdemeanor, except as provided in subsection (3) of this section.

(3) ((Cyberstalking))Cyber harassment is a class C felony if ((either))any of the following applies:

(a) The perpetrator has previously been convicted of the crime of harassment, as defined in RCW 9A.46.060, with the same victim or a member of the victim's family or household ((or any person specifically named in a no-contact order or no-harassment order in this or any other state)); ((or))

(b) The perpetrator engages in the behavior prohibited under subsection (1) of this section in violation of any protective order protecting the victim; or

(c) The perpetrator engages in the behavior prohibited under subsection (1)(((c)))(a) of this section by threatening to kill the person threatened or any other person.

(4) It is an affirmative defense to a violation of subsection (1)(a) of this section that the electronic communication was made to a third party and was not intended to be disseminated.

(5) Any offense committed under this section may be deemed to have been committed either at the place from which the communication was made or at the place where the communication was received.

(((5)))(6) For purposes of this section, "electronic communication" means the transmission of information by wire, radio, optical cable, electromagnetic, or other similar means. "Electronic communication" includes, but is not limited to, ((electronic mail))email, internet-based communications, pager service, and electronic text messaging.

Sec. 2. RCW 9A.46.110 and 2013 c 84 s 29 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A person commits the crime of stalking if, without lawful authority and under circumstances not amounting to a felony attempt of another crime:

(a) He or she intentionally and repeatedly harasses ((or))another person, repeatedly follows another person, or places another person under electronic surveillance; and

(b) The person being harassed ((or)), followed, or surveilled is placed in fear that the stalker intends to injure the person, another person, or property of the person or of another person. The feeling of fear must be one that a reasonable person in the same situation would experience under all the circumstances; and

(c) The stalker either:

(i) Intends to frighten, intimidate, unlawfully surveil, or harass the person; or

(ii) Knows or reasonably should know that the person is afraid, intimidated, or harassed even if the stalker did not intend to place the person in fear or intimidate or harass the person.

(2)(a) It is not a defense to the crime of stalking under subsection (1)(c)(i) of this section that the stalker was not given actual notice that the person did not want the stalker to contact or follow the person; and

(b) It is not a defense to the crime of stalking under subsection (1)(c)(ii) of this section that the stalker did not intend to frighten, intimidate, or harass the person.

(3) It shall be a defense to the crime of stalking that the defendant is a licensed private investigator acting within the capacity of his or her license as provided by chapter 18.165 RCW.

(4) Attempts to contact ((or)), follow, or electronically surveil the person after being given actual notice that the person does not want to be contacted ((or)), followed, or surveilled constitutes prima facie evidence that the stalker intends to intimidate or harass the person. "Contact" includes, in addition to any other form of contact or communication, the sending of an electronic communication to the person.

(5)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a person who stalks another person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

(b) A person who stalks another is guilty of a class B felony if any of the following applies: (i) The stalker has previously been convicted in this state or any other state of any crime of harassment, as defined in RCW 9A.46.060, of the same victim or members of the victim's family or household or any person specifically named in a protective order; (ii) the stalking violates any protective order protecting the person being stalked; (iii) the stalker has previously been convicted of a gross misdemeanor or felony stalking offense under this section for stalking another person; (iv) the stalker was armed with a deadly weapon, as defined in RCW 9.94A.825, while stalking the person; (v)(A) the stalker's victim is or was a law enforcement officer; judge; juror; attorney; victim advocate; legislator; community corrections' officer; an employee, contract staff person, or volunteer of a correctional agency; court employee, court clerk, or courthouse facilitator; or an employee of the child protective, child welfare, or adult protective services division within the department of social and health services; and (B) the stalker stalked the victim to retaliate against the victim for an act the victim performed during the course of official duties or to influence the victim's performance of official duties; ((or)) (vi) the stalker's victim is a current, former, or prospective witness in an adjudicative proceeding, and the stalker stalked the victim to retaliate against the victim as a result of the victim's testimony or potential testimony; or (vii) the stalker engaged in the behavior prohibited under subsection (1) of this section by threatening to kill the person stalked or any other person.

(6) As used in this section:

(a) "Correctional agency" means a person working for the department of natural resources in a correctional setting or any state, county, or municipally operated agency with the authority to direct the release of a person serving a sentence or term of confinement and includes but is not limited to the department of corrections, the indeterminate sentence review board, and the department of social and health services.

(b) "Electronic communication" means the transmission of information by wire, radio, optical cable, electromagnetic, or other similar means. "Electronic communication" includes, but is not limited to, email, internet-based communications, pager services, and electronic text messaging.

(d) "Follows" means deliberately maintaining visual or physical proximity to a specific person over a period of time. A finding that the alleged stalker repeatedly and deliberately appears at the person's home, school, place of employment, business, or any other location to maintain visual or physical proximity to the person is sufficient to find that the alleged stalker follows the person. It is not necessary to establish that the alleged stalker follows the person while in transit from one location to another.

(((c)))(e) "Harasses" means unlawful harassment as defined in RCW 10.14.020.

(((d)))(f) "Protective order" means any temporary or permanent court order prohibiting or limiting violence against, harassment of, contact or communication with, or physical proximity to another person.

(((e)))(g) "Repeatedly" means on two or more separate occasions.

Sec. 3. RCW 7.92.020 and 2013 c 84 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Minor" means a person who is under eighteen years of age.

(2) "Petitioner" means any named petitioner for the stalking protection order or any named victim of stalking conduct on whose behalf the petition is brought.

(3) "Stalking conduct" means any of the following:

(a) Any act of stalking as defined under RCW 9A.46.110;

(b) Any act of ((cyberstalking))cyber harassment as defined under RCW 9.61.260;

(c) Any course of conduct involving repeated or continuing contacts, attempts to contact, monitoring, tracking, keeping under observation, or following of another that:

(i) Would cause a reasonable person to feel intimidated, frightened, or threatened and that actually causes such a feeling;

(ii) Serves no lawful purpose; and

(iii) The stalker knows or reasonably should know threatens, frightens, or intimidates the person, even if the stalker did not intend to intimidate, frighten, or threaten the person.

(4) "Stalking no-contact order" means a temporary order or a final order granted under this chapter against a person charged with or arrested for stalking, which includes a remedy authorized under RCW 7.92.160.

(5) "Stalking protection order" means an ex parte temporary order or a final order granted under this chapter, which includes a remedy authorized in RCW 7.92.100.

Sec. 4. RCW 9.94A.515 and 2018 c 236 s 721 and 2018 c 7 s 7 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

Sec. 5. RCW 9A.46.060 and 2006 c 138 s 21 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter, "harassment" may include but is not limited to any of the following crimes:

(1) Harassment (RCW 9A.46.020);

(2) Malicious harassment (RCW 9A.36.080);

(3) Telephone harassment (RCW 9.61.230);

(4) Assault in the first degree (RCW 9A.36.011);

(5) Assault of a child in the first degree (RCW 9A.36.120);

(6) Assault in the second degree (RCW 9A.36.021);

(7) Assault of a child in the second degree (RCW 9A.36.130);

(8) Assault in the fourth degree (RCW 9A.36.041);

(9) Reckless endangerment (RCW 9A.36.050);

(10) Extortion in the first degree (RCW 9A.56.120);

(11) Extortion in the second degree (RCW 9A.56.130);

(12) Coercion (RCW 9A.36.070);

(13) Burglary in the first degree (RCW 9A.52.020);

(14) Burglary in the second degree (RCW 9A.52.030);

(15) Criminal trespass in the first degree (RCW 9A.52.070);

(16) Criminal trespass in the second degree (RCW 9A.52.080);

(17) Malicious mischief in the first degree (RCW 9A.48.070);

(18) Malicious mischief in the second degree (RCW 9A.48.080);

(19) Malicious mischief in the third degree (RCW 9A.48.090);

(20) Kidnapping in the first degree (RCW 9A.40.020);

(21) Kidnapping in the second degree (RCW 9A.40.030);

(22) Unlawful imprisonment (RCW 9A.40.040);

(23) Rape in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.040);

(24) Rape in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.050);

(25) Rape in the third degree (RCW 9A.44.060);

(26) Indecent liberties (RCW 9A.44.100);

(27) Rape of a child in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.073);

(28) Rape of a child in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.076);

(29) Rape of a child in the third degree (RCW 9A.44.079);

(30) Child molestation in the first degree (RCW 9A.44.083);

(31) Child molestation in the second degree (RCW 9A.44.086);

(32) Child molestation in the third degree (RCW 9A.44.089);

(33) Stalking (RCW 9A.46.110);

(34) ((Cyberstalking))Cyber harassment (RCW 9.61.260);

(35) Residential burglary (RCW 9A.52.025);

(36) Violation of a temporary, permanent, or final protective order issued pursuant to chapter 7.90, 9A.46, 10.14, 10.99, 26.09, or 26.50 RCW;

(37) Unlawful discharge of a laser in the first degree (RCW 9A.49.020); and

(38) Unlawful discharge of a laser in the second degree (RCW 9A.49.030).

Sec. 6. RCW 26.50.060 and 2018 c 84 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Upon notice and after hearing, the court may provide relief as follows:

(a) Restrain the respondent from committing acts of domestic violence;

(b) Exclude the respondent from the dwelling that the parties share, from the residence, workplace, or school of the petitioner, or from the day care or school of a child;

(c) Prohibit the respondent from knowingly coming within, or knowingly remaining within, a specified distance from a specified location;

(d) On the same basis as is provided in chapter 26.09 RCW, the court shall make residential provision with regard to minor children of the parties. However, parenting plans as specified in chapter 26.09 RCW shall not be required under this chapter;

(e) Order the respondent to participate in a domestic violence perpetrator treatment program approved under RCW 26.50.150;

(f) Order other relief as it deems necessary for the protection of the petitioner and other family or household members sought to be protected, including orders or directives to a peace officer, as allowed under this chapter;

(g) Require the respondent to pay the administrative court costs and service fees, as established by the county or municipality incurring the expense and to reimburse the petitioner for costs incurred in bringing the action, including reasonable attorneys' fees or limited license legal technician fees when such fees are incurred by a person licensed and practicing in accordance with the state supreme court's admission to practice rule 28, the limited practice rule for limited license legal technicians;

(h) Restrain the respondent from having any contact with the victim of domestic violence or the victim's children or members of the victim's household;

(i) Restrain the respondent from harassing, following, keeping under physical or electronic surveillance, ((cyberstalking))cyber harassment as defined in RCW 9.61.260, and using telephonic, audiovisual, or other electronic means to monitor the actions, location, or communication of a victim of domestic violence, the victim's children, or members of the victim's household. For the purposes of this subsection, "communication" includes both "wire communication" and "electronic communication" as defined in RCW 9.73.260;

(j) Require the respondent to submit to electronic monitoring. The order shall specify who shall provide the electronic monitoring services and the terms under which the monitoring must be performed. The order also may include a requirement that the respondent pay the costs of the monitoring. The court shall consider the ability of the respondent to pay for electronic monitoring;

(k) Consider the provisions of RCW 9.41.800;

(l) Order possession and use of essential personal effects. The court shall list the essential personal effects with sufficient specificity to make it clear which property is included. Personal effects may include pets. The court may order that a petitioner be granted the exclusive custody or control of any pet owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by the petitioner, respondent, or minor child residing with either the petitioner or respondent and may prohibit the respondent from interfering with the petitioner's efforts to remove the pet. The court may also prohibit the respondent from knowingly coming within, or knowingly remaining within, a specified distance of specified locations where the pet is regularly found; and

(m) Order use of a vehicle.

(2) If a protection order restrains the respondent from contacting the respondent's minor children the restraint shall be for a fixed period not to exceed one year. This limitation is not applicable to orders for protection issued under chapter 26.09, 26.10, or 26.26 RCW. With regard to other relief, if the petitioner has petitioned for relief on his or her own behalf or on behalf of the petitioner's family or household members or minor children, and the court finds that the respondent is likely to resume acts of domestic violence against the petitioner or the petitioner's family or household members or minor children when the order expires, the court may either grant relief for a fixed period or enter a permanent order of protection.

If the petitioner has petitioned for relief on behalf of the respondent's minor children, the court shall advise the petitioner that if the petitioner wants to continue protection for a period beyond one year the petitioner may either petition for renewal pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or may seek relief pursuant to the provisions of chapter 26.09 or 26.26 RCW.

(3) If the court grants an order for a fixed time period, the petitioner may apply for renewal of the order by filing a petition for renewal at any time within the three months before the order expires. The petition for renewal shall state the reasons why the petitioner seeks to renew the protection order. Upon receipt of the petition for renewal the court shall order a hearing which shall be not later than fourteen days from the date of the order. Except as provided in RCW 26.50.085, personal service shall be made on the respondent 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 26.50.085 or by mail as provided in RCW 26.50.123. If the court permits service by publication or mail, 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 26.50.070. The court shall grant the petition for renewal unless the respondent proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the respondent will not resume acts of domestic violence against the petitioner or the petitioner's children or family or household members when the order expires. The court may renew the protection order for another fixed time period or may enter a permanent order as provided in this section. The court may award court costs, service fees, and reasonable attorneys' fees as provided in subsection (1)(g) of this section.

(4) In providing relief under this chapter, the court may realign the designation of the parties as "petitioner" and "respondent" where the court finds that the original petitioner is the abuser and the original respondent is the victim of domestic violence and may issue an ex parte temporary order for protection in accordance with RCW 26.50.070 on behalf of the victim until the victim is able to prepare a petition for an order for protection in accordance with RCW 26.50.030.

(5) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, no order for protection shall grant relief to any party except upon notice to the respondent and hearing pursuant to a petition or counter-petition filed and served by the party seeking relief in accordance with RCW 26.50.050.

(6) The court order shall specify the date the order expires if any. The court order shall also state whether the court issued the protection order following personal service, service by publication, or service by mail and whether the court has approved service by publication or mail of an order issued under this section.

(7) If the court declines to issue an order for protection or declines to renew an order for protection, the court shall state in writing on the order the particular reasons for the court's denial.

Sec. 7. RCW 26.50.070 and 2018 c 22 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Where an application under this section alleges that irreparable injury could result from domestic violence if an order is not issued immediately without prior notice to the respondent, the court may grant an ex parte temporary order for protection, pending a full hearing, and grant relief as the court deems proper, including an order:

(a) Restraining any party from committing acts of domestic violence;

(b) Restraining any party from going onto the grounds of or entering the dwelling that the parties share, from the residence, workplace, or school of the other, or from the day care or school of a child until further order of the court;

(c) Prohibiting any party from knowingly coming within, or knowingly remaining within, a specified distance from a specified location;

(d) Restraining any party from interfering with the other's custody of the minor children or from removing the children from the jurisdiction of the court;

(e) Restraining any party from having any contact with the victim of domestic violence or the victim's children or members of the victim's household;

(f) Considering the provisions of RCW 9.41.800; and

(g) Restraining the respondent from harassing, following, keeping under physical or electronic surveillance, ((cyberstalking))cyber harassment as defined in RCW 9.61.260, and using telephonic, audiovisual, or other electronic means to monitor the actions, location, or communication of a victim of domestic violence, the victim's children, or members of the victim's household. For the purposes of this subsection, "communication" includes both "wire communication" and "electronic communication" as defined in RCW 9.73.260.

(2) Irreparable injury under this section includes but is not limited to situations in which the respondent has recently threatened petitioner with bodily injury or has engaged in acts of domestic violence against the petitioner.

(3) The court shall hold an ex parte hearing in person or by telephone on the day the petition is filed or on the following judicial day.

(4) An ex parte temporary order for protection shall be effective for a fixed period not to exceed fourteen days or twenty-four days if the court has permitted service by publication under RCW 26.50.085 or by mail under RCW 26.50.123. The ex parte temporary order may be reissued. A full hearing, as provided in this chapter, shall be set for not later than fourteen days from the issuance of the ex parte temporary order or not later than twenty-four days if service by publication or by mail is permitted. Except as provided in RCW 26.50.050, 26.50.085, and 26.50.123, the respondent shall be personally served with a copy of the ex parte temporary order along with a copy of the petition and notice of the date set for the hearing.

(5) Any 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.

(6) If the court declines to issue an ex parte temporary order for protection the court shall state the particular reasons for the court's denial. The court's denial of a motion for an ex parte temporary order ((of))for protection shall be filed with the court.

--- END ---