H-4711.1

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2796

ByHouse Human Services & Early Learning (originally sponsored by Representatives Frame, Peterson, Pollet, and Santos)

AN ACT Relating to juvenile sex offense registration waivers under the special sexual offender disposition alternative; and amending RCW 13.40.162 and 9A.44.140.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 13.40.162 and 2011 c 338 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A juvenile offender is eligible for the special sex offender disposition alternative when:

(a) The offender is found to have committed a sex offense, other than a sex offense that is also a serious violent offense as defined by RCW 9.94A.030, and the offender has no history of a prior sex offense; ((and))or

(b) The offender is found to have committed assault in the fourth degree with sexual motivation, and the offender has no history of a prior sex offense.

(2) If the court finds the offender is eligible for this alternative, the court, on its own motion or the motion of the state or the respondent, may order an examination to determine whether the respondent is amenable to treatment.

(a) The report of the examination shall include at a minimum the following:

(i) The respondent's version of the facts and the official version of the facts;

(ii) The respondent's offense history;

(iii) An assessment of problems in addition to alleged deviant behaviors;

(iv) The respondent's social, educational, and employment situation;

(v) Other evaluation measures used.

The report shall set forth the sources of the evaluator's information.

(b) The examiner shall assess and report regarding the respondent's amenability to treatment and relative risk to the community. A proposed treatment plan shall be provided and shall include, at a minimum:

(i) The frequency and type of contact between the offender and therapist;

(ii) Specific issues to be addressed in the treatment and description of planned treatment modalities;

(iii) Monitoring plans, including any requirements regarding living conditions, lifestyle requirements, and monitoring by family members, legal guardians, or others;

(iv) Anticipated length of treatment; and

(v) Recommended crime-related prohibitions.

(c) The court on its own motion may order, or on a motion by the state shall order, a second examination regarding the offender's amenability to treatment. The evaluator shall be selected by the party making the motion. The defendant shall pay the cost of any second examination ordered unless the court finds the defendant to be indigent in which case the state shall pay the cost.

(3) After receipt of reports of the examination, the court shall then consider whether the offender and the community will benefit from use of this special sex offender disposition alternative and consider the victim's opinion whether the offender should receive a treatment disposition under this section. If the court determines that this special sex offender disposition alternative is appropriate, then the court shall impose a determinate disposition within the standard range for the offense, or if the court concludes, and enters reasons for its conclusions, that such disposition would cause a manifest injustice, the court shall impose a disposition under option D, and the court may suspend the execution of the disposition and place the offender on community supervision for at least two years.

(4) As a condition of the suspended disposition, the court may impose the conditions of community supervision and other conditions, including up to thirty days of confinement and requirements that the offender do any one or more of the following:

(a) Devote time to a specific education, employment, or occupation;

(b) Undergo available outpatient sex offender treatment for up to two years, or inpatient sex offender treatment not to exceed the standard range of confinement for that offense. A community mental health center may not be used for such treatment unless it has an appropriate program designed for sex offender treatment. The respondent shall not change sex offender treatment providers or treatment conditions without first notifying the prosecutor, the probation counselor, and the court, and shall not change providers without court approval after a hearing if the prosecutor or probation counselor object to the change;

(c) Remain within prescribed geographical boundaries and notify the court or the probation counselor prior to any change in the offender's address, educational program, or employment;

(d) Report to the prosecutor and the probation counselor prior to any change in a sex offender treatment provider. This change shall have prior approval by the court;

(e) Report as directed to the court and a probation counselor;

(f) Pay all court-ordered legal financial obligations, perform community restitution, or any combination thereof;

(g) Make restitution to the victim for the cost of any counseling reasonably related to the offense; or

(h) Comply with the conditions of any court-ordered probation bond.

(5) If the court orders twenty-four hour, continuous monitoring of the offender while on probation, the court shall include the basis for this condition in its findings.

(6)(a) The court must order the offender not to attend the public or approved private elementary, middle, or high school attended by the victim or the victim's siblings.

(b) The parents or legal guardians of the offender are responsible for transportation or other costs associated with the offender's change of school that would otherwise be paid by the school district.

(c) The court shall send notice of the disposition and restriction on attending the same school as the victim or victim's siblings to the public or approved private school the juvenile will attend, if known, or if unknown, to the approved private schools and the public school district board of directors of the district in which the juvenile resides or intends to reside. This notice must be sent at the earliest possible date but not later than ten calendar days after entry of the disposition.

(7)(a) If required by RCW 9A.44.140, upon adjudication of the offense for which this disposition alternative is granted, the court must order the offender to register as a sex offender. Unless the duty to register is removed under (b) of this subsection, the offender must continue to register as a sex offender according to the limits provided under chapter 9A.44 RCW.

(8)(a) The sex offender treatment provider shall submit quarterly reports on the respondent's progress in treatment to the court and the parties. The reports shall reference the treatment plan and include at a minimum the following: Dates of attendance, respondent's compliance with requirements, treatment activities, the respondent's relative progress in treatment, and any other material specified by the court at the time of the disposition.

(b) At the time of the disposition, the court may set treatment review hearings as the court considers appropriate.

(c) Except as provided in this subsection, examinations and treatment ordered pursuant to this subsection shall ((only)) be conducted by qualified professionals, certified sex offender treatment providers, or certified affiliate sex offender treatment providers under chapter 18.155 RCW.

(d) A sex offender therapist who examines or treats a juvenile sex offender pursuant to this subsection does not have to be certified by the department of health pursuant to chapter 18.155 RCW if the therapist is a professional licensed under chapter 18.225 or 18.83 RCW and the treatment employed is evidence-based, or if the court finds that: (i) The offender has already moved to another state or plans to move to another state for reasons other than circumventing the certification requirements; (ii) no certified sex offender treatment providers or certified affiliate sex offender treatment providers are available for treatment within a reasonable geographical distance of the offender's home; and (iii) the evaluation and treatment plan comply with this subsection and the rules adopted by the department of health.

(((8)))(9)(a) If the offender violates any condition of the disposition or the court finds that the respondent is failing to make satisfactory progress in treatment, the court may revoke the suspension and order execution of the disposition or the court may impose a penalty of up to thirty days confinement for violating conditions of the disposition.

(b) The court may order both execution of the disposition and up to thirty days confinement for the violation of the conditions of the disposition.

(c) The court shall give credit for any confinement time previously served if that confinement was for the offense for which the suspension is being revoked.

(((9)))(10) For purposes of this section, "victim" means any person who has sustained emotional, psychological, physical, or financial injury to person or property as a direct result of the crime charged. "Victim" may also include a known parent or guardian of a victim who is a minor child unless the parent or guardian is the perpetrator of the offense.

(((10)))(11) A disposition entered under this section is not appealable under RCW 13.40.230.

Sec. 2. RCW 9A.44.140 and 2015 c 261 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

The duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 shall continue for the duration provided in this section.

(1) For a person convicted in this state of a class A felony, or a person convicted of any sex offense or kidnapping offense who has one or more prior convictions for a sex offense or kidnapping offense, the duty to register shall continue indefinitely.

(2) For a person convicted in this state of a class B felony who does not have one or more prior convictions for a sex offense or kidnapping offense, the duty to register shall end fifteen years after the last date of release from confinement, if any, (including full-time residential treatment) pursuant to the conviction, or entry of the judgment and sentence, if the person has spent fifteen consecutive years in the community without being convicted of a disqualifying offense during that time period.

(3) For a person convicted in this state of a class C felony, a violation of RCW 9.68A.090 or 9A.44.096, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to commit a class C felony, and the person does not have one or more prior convictions for a sex offense or kidnapping offense, the duty to register shall end ten years after the last date of release from confinement, if any, (including full-time residential treatment) pursuant to the conviction, or entry of the judgment and sentence, if the person has spent ten consecutive years in the community without being convicted of a disqualifying offense during that time period.

(4) Except as provided in RCW 9A.44.142, for a person required to register for a federal, tribal, or out-of-state conviction, the duty to register shall continue indefinitely.

(5) For a person who is or has been determined to be a sexually violent predator pursuant to chapter 71.09 RCW, the duty to register shall continue for the person's lifetime.

(6) Nothing in this section prevents a person from being relieved of the duty to register under RCW 9A.44.142 ((and)), 9A.44.143, and 13.40.162.

(7) Nothing in RCW 9.94A.637 relating to discharge of an offender shall be construed as operating to relieve the offender of his or her duty to register pursuant to RCW 9A.44.130.

(8) For purposes of determining whether a person has been convicted of more than one sex offense, failure to register as a sex offender or kidnapping offender is not a sex or kidnapping offense.

(9) The provisions of this section and RCW 9A.44.141 through 9A.44.143 apply equally to a person who has been found not guilty by reason of insanity under chapter 10.77 RCW of a sex offense or kidnapping offense.

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