S-5363.1

SENATE BILL 6444

BySenators Kuderer, Das, Darneille, Wilson, C., Nguyen, and Saldaña

AN ACT Relating to juvenile records; and amending RCW 13.50.260 and 13.50.270.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 13.50.260 and 2015 c 265 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) The court shall hold regular sealing hearings. During these regular sealing hearings, the court shall administratively seal an individual's juvenile record pursuant to the requirements of this subsection unless the court receives an objection to sealing or the court notes a compelling reason not to seal, in which case, the court shall set a contested hearing to be conducted on the record to address sealing. Although the juvenile record shall be sealed, the social file may be available to any juvenile justice or care agency when an investigation or case involving the juvenile subject of the records is being prosecuted by the juvenile justice or care agency or when the juvenile justice or care agency is assigned the responsibility of supervising the juvenile. The contested hearing shall be set no sooner than eighteen days after notice of the hearing and the opportunity to object has been sent to the juvenile, the victim, and juvenile's attorney. The juvenile respondent's presence is not required at a sealing hearing pursuant to this subsection.

(b) At the disposition hearing of a juvenile offender, the court shall schedule an administrative sealing hearing to take place during the first regularly scheduled sealing hearing after the latest of the following events that apply:

(i) The respondent's eighteenth birthday;

(ii) Anticipated completion of a respondent's probation, if ordered;

(iii) Anticipated release from confinement at the juvenile rehabilitation administration, or the completion of parole, if the respondent is transferred to the juvenile rehabilitation administration.

(c) A court shall enter a written order sealing an individual's juvenile court record pursuant to this subsection if:

(i) One of the offenses for which the court has entered a disposition is not at the time of commission of the offense:

(A) A most serious offense, as defined in RCW 9.94A.030; or

(B) A sex offense under chapter 9A.44 RCW((; or

(C) A drug offense, as defined in RCW 9.94A.030)); and

(ii) The respondent has completed the terms and conditions of disposition, including affirmative conditions and has paid the full amount of restitution owing to the individual victim named in the restitution order, excluding restitution owed to any insurance provider authorized under Title 48 RCW.

(d) Following a contested sealing hearing on the record after an objection is made pursuant to (a) of this subsection, the court shall enter a written order sealing the juvenile court record unless the court determines that sealing is not appropriate.

(2) The court shall enter a written order immediately sealing the official juvenile court record upon the acquittal after a fact finding or upon the dismissal of charges with prejudice, subject to the state's right, if any, to appeal the dismissal.

(3) If a juvenile court record has not already been sealed pursuant to this section, in any case in which information has been filed pursuant to RCW 13.40.100 or a complaint has been filed with the prosecutor and referred for diversion pursuant to RCW 13.40.070, the person who is the subject of the information or complaint may file a motion with the court to have the court vacate its order and findings, if any, and, subject to RCW 13.50.050(13), order the sealing of the official juvenile court record, the social file, and records of the court and of any other agency in the case.

(4)(a) The court shall grant any motion to seal records for class A offenses made pursuant to subsection (3) of this section if:

(i) Since the last date of release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, if any, or entry of disposition, the person has spent five consecutive years in the community without committing any offense or crime that subsequently results in an adjudication or conviction;

(ii) No proceeding is pending against the moving party seeking the conviction of a juvenile offense or a criminal offense;

(iii) No proceeding is pending seeking the formation of a diversion agreement with that person;

(iv) The person is no longer required to register as a sex offender under RCW 9A.44.130 or has been relieved of the duty to register under RCW 9A.44.143 if the person was convicted of a sex offense;

(v) The person has not been convicted of rape in the first degree, rape in the second degree, or indecent liberties that was actually committed with forcible compulsion; and

(vi) The person has paid the full amount of restitution owing to the individual victim named in the restitution order, excluding restitution owed to any insurance provider authorized under Title 48 RCW.

(b) The court shall grant any motion to seal records for class B, class C, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor offenses and diversions made under subsection (3) of this section if:

(i) Since the date of last release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, if any, entry of disposition, or completion of the diversion agreement, the person has spent two consecutive years in the community without being convicted of any offense or crime;

(ii) No proceeding is pending against the moving party seeking the conviction of a juvenile offense or a criminal offense;

(iii) No proceeding is pending seeking the formation of a diversion agreement with that person;

(iv) The person is no longer required to register as a sex offender under RCW 9A.44.130 or has been relieved of the duty to register under RCW 9A.44.143 if the person was convicted of a sex offense; and

(v) The person has paid the full amount of restitution owing to the individual victim named in the restitution order, excluding restitution owed to any insurance provider authorized under Title 48 RCW.

(c) Notwithstanding the requirements in (a) or (b) of this subsection, the court shall grant any motion to seal records of any deferred disposition vacated under RCW 13.40.127(9) prior to June 7, 2012, if restitution has been paid and the person is eighteen years of age or older at the time of the motion.

(5) The person making a motion pursuant to subsection (3) of this section shall give reasonable notice of the motion to the prosecution and to any person or agency whose records are sought to be sealed.

(6)(a) If the court enters a written order sealing the juvenile court record pursuant to this section, it shall, subject to RCW 13.50.050(13), order sealed the official juvenile court record, the social file, and other records relating to the case as are named in the order. Thereafter, the proceedings in the case shall be treated as if they never occurred, and the subject of the records may reply accordingly to any inquiry about the events, records of which are sealed. Any agency shall reply to any inquiry concerning confidential or sealed records that records are confidential, and no information can be given about the existence or nonexistence of records concerning an individual.

(b) In the event the subject of the juvenile records receives a full and unconditional pardon, the proceedings in the matter upon which the pardon has been granted shall be treated as if they never occurred, and the subject of the records may reply accordingly to any inquiry about the events upon which the pardon was received. Any agency shall reply to any inquiry concerning the records pertaining to the events for which the subject received a pardon that records are confidential, and no information can be given about the existence or nonexistence of records concerning an individual.

(c) Effective July 1, 2019, the department of licensing may release information related to records the court has ordered sealed only to the extent necessary to comply with federal law and regulation.

(7) Inspection of the files and records included in the order to seal may thereafter be permitted only by order of the court upon motion made by the person who is the subject of the information or complaint, except as otherwise provided in RCW 13.50.010(8) and 13.50.050(13).

(8)(a) Any adjudication of a juvenile offense or a crime subsequent to sealing has the effect of nullifying a sealing order; however, the court may order the juvenile court record resealed upon disposition of the subsequent matter if the case meets the sealing criteria under this section and the court record has not previously been resealed.

(b) Any charging of an adult felony subsequent to the sealing has the effect of nullifying the sealing order.

(c) The administrative office of the courts shall ensure that the superior court judicial information system provides prosecutors access to information on the existence of sealed juvenile records.

(d) The Washington state patrol shall ensure that the Washington state identification system ((provides))does not provide criminal justice agencies access to sealed juvenile records information. By October 1, 2020, the Washington state patrol shall remove all sealed juvenile records from the Washington state identification system and any other system it maintains.

(9) If the juvenile court record has been sealed pursuant to this section, the record of an employee is not admissible in an action for liability against the employer based on the former juvenile offender's conduct to show that the employer knew or should have known of the juvenile record of the employee. The record may be admissible, however, if a background check conducted or authorized by the employer contained the information in the sealed record.

(10) County clerks may interact or correspond with the respondent, his or her parents, and any holders of potential assets or wages of the respondent for the purposes of collecting an outstanding legal financial obligation after juvenile court records have been sealed pursuant to this section.

(11) Persons and agencies that obtain sealed juvenile records information pursuant to this section may communicate about this information with the respondent, but may not disseminate or be compelled to release the information to any person or agency not specifically granted access to sealed juvenile records in this section.

Sec. 2. RCW 13.50.270 and 2018 c 82 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(((a))) Subject to RCW 13.50.050(13), all records maintained by any court or law enforcement agency, including the juvenile court, local law enforcement, the Washington state patrol, and the prosecutor's office, shall be automatically destroyed within ninety days of becoming eligible for destruction. Juvenile records are eligible for destruction when:

(a)(i) The person who is the subject of the information or complaint is at least eighteen years of age;

(ii) The records in question consist of successfully completed diversion agreements and counsel and release agreements, or both, which were completed on or after June 7, 2018; and

(iii) There is no restitution owing in the case((.)); or

(b)(i) The person who is the subject of the information or complaint is at least twenty-three years of age;

(2) Notwithstanding ((this)) subsection (1) of this section, records of successfully completed diversion agreements and counsel and release agreements remain subject to destruction under the terms set forth in subsections (((2)))(5) through (((4)))(7) of this section, as well as sealing under RCW 13.50.260.

(((c)))(3) No less than quarterly, the administrative office of the courts shall provide a report to the juvenile courts of those individuals whose records may be eligible for destruction. The juvenile court shall verify eligibility and notify the Washington state patrol and the appropriate local law enforcement agency and prosecutor's office of the records to be destroyed. The requirement to destroy records under this subsection is not dependent on a court hearing or the issuance of a court order to destroy records.

(((d)))(4) The state and local governments and their officers and employees are not liable for civil damages for the failure to destroy records pursuant to this section.

(((2)))(5) All records maintained by any court or law enforcement agency, including the juvenile court, local law enforcement, the Washington state patrol, and the prosecutor's office, shall be automatically destroyed within thirty days of being notified by the governor's office that the subject of those records received a full and unconditional pardon by the governor.

(((3)))(6)(a) A person may request that the court order the records in his or her case destroyed as follows:

(i) A person eighteen years of age or older whose criminal history consists entirely of one diversion agreement or counsel and release entered prior to June 12, 2008. The request shall be granted if the court finds that two years have elapsed since completion of the agreement or counsel and release.

(ii) A person twenty-three years of age or older ((whose criminal history consists of only referrals for diversion))who has not been convicted of a felony offense subsequent to the disposition of the juvenile record. The request shall be granted if the court finds that ((all diversion agreements have been successfully completed))the record has been sealed under RCW 13.50.260 or 13.40.127, or is currently eligible for sealing and no proceeding is pending against the person seeking the conviction of a criminal offense.

(b) If the court grants the motion to destroy records made pursuant to this subsection, it shall, subject to RCW 13.50.050(13), order the official juvenile court record, the social file, and any other records named in the order to be destroyed.

(c) The person making the motion pursuant to this subsection must give reasonable notice of the motion to the prosecuting attorney and to any agency whose records are sought to be destroyed.

(((4)))(7) Any juvenile justice or care agency may, subject to the limitations in RCW 13.50.050(13) and this section, develop procedures for the routine destruction of records relating to juvenile offenses and diversions.

(a) Records may be routinely destroyed only when the person the subject of the information or complaint has attained twenty-three years of age or older or pursuant to subsections (1) through (4) of this section.

(b) The court may not routinely destroy the official juvenile court record or recordings or transcripts of any proceedings.

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