or duly authorized representative of a law enforcement agency))(1) Any individual may submit a written complaint to the commission ((charging))stating that ((a peace))an officer's certificate should be denied, suspended, or revoked, and specifying the grounds for the ((charge))complaint. Filing a complaint does not make a complainant a party to the commission's action. (2) The commission has sole discretion whether to investigate a complaint, and the commission has sole discretion whether to investigate matters relating to certification, denial of certification, or revocation of certification on any other basis, without restriction as to the source or the existence of a complaint. All complaints must be resolved with a written determination, regardless of the decision to investigate.
(3) The commission may initiate an investigation in any instance where there is a pattern of complaints or other actions that may not have resulted in a formal adjudication of wrongdoing, but when considered together demonstrate conduct that would constitute a violation of RCW 43.101.105 (2) or (3). The commission must consider the agency's policies and procedures and the officer's job duties and assignment in determining what constitutes a pattern. (4) A person who files a complaint in good faith under this section is immune from suit or any civil action related to the filing or the contents of the complaint.
Sec. 13. RCW
43.101.155 and 2001 c 167 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) If the commission determines, upon investigation, that there is ((
probable)) cause to believe that a peace officer's
or corrections officer's certification should be denied
, suspended, or revoked under RCW
43.101.105, the commission must prepare and serve upon the officer a statement of charges. Service on the officer must be by mail or by personal service on the officer
unless the officer has consented to service in some other manner, including electronic notification. Notice of the charges must also be mailed to or otherwise served upon the officer's agency of ((
termination))
separation and any current ((
law enforcement)) agency employer. The statement of charges must be accompanied by a notice that to receive a hearing on the denial or revocation, the officer must, within ((
sixty))
60 days of ((
communication of)) the statement of charges, request a hearing before the hearings ((
board))
panel appointed under RCW
43.101.380. Failure of the officer to request a hearing within the ((
sixty-day))
60-day period constitutes a default, whereupon the commission may enter an order under RCW
34.05.440.
(2) If a hearing is requested, the officer is required to provide an email address that constitutes the officer's legal address for purposes of any subsequent communication from the commission. Unless otherwise agreed to by the mutual agreement of the parties or for good cause, within two weeks of receipt of the officer's request for a hearing, the commission shall set a date ((of))for the hearing, which must be ((scheduled not earlier than ninety days nor later than one hundred eighty days after communication of the statement of charges to the officer; the one hundred eighty-day period may be extended on mutual agreement of the parties or for good cause))held within 90 days thereafter. ((The))On the date the hearing is set, the commission shall ((give))transmit electronic and written notice of the hearing ((at least twenty days prior to the hearing))to the officer, and provide public notice on the commission website, specifying the time, date, and place of hearing.
Sec. 14. RCW
43.101.157 and 2006 c 22 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Tribal governments may voluntarily request certification for their police officers. Tribal governments requesting certification for their police officers must enter into a written agreement with the commission. The agreement must require the tribal law enforcement agency and its officers to comply with all of the requirements for granting, denying, and revoking certification as those requirements are applied to peace officers certified under this chapter and the rules of the commission.
(2) Officers making application for certification as tribal police officers shall meet the requirements of this chapter and the rules of the commission as those requirements are applied to certification of peace officers. Application for certification as a tribal police officer shall be accepted and processed in the same manner as those for certification of peace officers.
(((3) For purposes of certification, "tribal police officer" means any person employed and commissioned by a tribal government to enforce the criminal laws of that government.))
Sec. 15. RCW
43.101.230 and 1981 c 134 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
((
Indian tribe))
Tribal police officers and employees who are engaged in law enforcement activities and who do not qualify as "criminal justice personnel" or "law enforcement personnel" under RCW
43.101.010((
, as now law or hereafter amended,)) may be provided training under this chapter if: (a) The tribe is recognized by the federal government, and (b) the tribe pays to the commission the full cost of providing such training. The commission shall place all money received under this section into the criminal justice training account.
Sec. 16. RCW
43.101.390 and 2001 c 167 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The commission((, its boards,)) and individuals acting on behalf of the commission ((and its boards)) are immune from suit in any civil or criminal action contesting or based upon proceedings or other official acts performed in the course of their duties in the administration and enforcement of this chapter.
(2) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the commission and individuals acting on behalf of the commission are immune from suit in any civil action based on the certification, denial of certification, suspension, or decertification of peace officers, reserve officers, or corrections officers.
Sec. 17. RCW
43.101.420 and 2009 c 19 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The commission shall offer a training session on personal crisis recognition and crisis intervention services to criminal justice, ((correctional personnel))corrections, and other public safety employees. The training shall be implemented by the commission in consultation with appropriate public and private organizations that have expertise in crisis referral services and in the underlying conditions leading to the need for crisis referral.
(2) The training shall consist of a minimum of one hour of classroom or internet instruction, and shall include instruction on the following subjects:
(a) The description and underlying causes of problems that may have an impact on the personal and professional lives of public safety employees, including mental health issues, chemical dependency, domestic violence, financial problems, and other personal crises;
(b) Techniques by which public safety employees may recognize the conditions listed in (a) of this subsection and understand the need to seek assistance and obtain a referral for consultation and possible treatment; and
(c) A listing of examples of public and private crisis referral agencies available to public safety employees.
(3) The training developed by the commission shall be made available by the commission to all employees of state and local agencies that perform public safety duties. The commission may charge a reasonable fee to defer the cost of making the training available.
Sec. 18. RCW
34.12.035 and 1984 c 141 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
The chief administrative law judge shall designate an administrative law judge with subject matter expertise to serve, as the need arises, as presiding officer in ((state)):
(1) State patrol disciplinary hearings conducted under RCW
43.43.090; and (2) Decertification hearings conducted under RCW 43.101.380.
Sec. 19. RCW
40.14.070 and 2011 c 60 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)(a) ((County))Other than those records detailed in subsection (4) of this section, county, municipal, and other local government agencies may request authority to destroy noncurrent public records having no further administrative or legal value by submitting to the division of archives and records management lists of such records on forms prepared by the division. The archivist, a representative appointed by the state auditor, and a representative appointed by the attorney general shall constitute a committee, known as the local records committee, which shall review such lists and which may veto the destruction of any or all items contained therein.
(b) A local government agency, as an alternative to submitting lists, may elect to establish a records control program based on recurring disposition schedules recommended by the agency to the local records committee. The schedules are to be submitted on forms provided by the division of archives and records management to the local records committee, which may either veto, approve, or amend the schedule. Approval of such schedule or amended schedule shall be by unanimous vote of the local records committee. Upon such approval, the schedule shall constitute authority for the local government agency to destroy the records listed thereon, after the required retention period, on a recurring basis until the schedule is either amended or revised by the committee.
(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, and other than the law enforcement records detailed in subsection (4) of this section, no public records shall be destroyed until approved for destruction by the local records committee. Official public records shall not be destroyed unless:
(i) The records are six or more years old;
(ii) The department of origin of the records has made a satisfactory showing to the state records committee that the retention of the records for a minimum of six years is both unnecessary and uneconomical, particularly where lesser federal retention periods for records generated by the state under federal programs have been established; or
(iii) The originals of official public records less than six years old have been copied or reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, miniature photographic, or other process approved by the state archivist which accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for so reproducing the original.
An automatic reduction of retention periods from seven to six years for official public records on record retention schedules existing on June 10, 1982, shall not be made, but the same shall be reviewed individually by the local records committee for approval or disapproval of the change to a retention period of six years.
The state archivist may furnish appropriate information, suggestions, and guidelines to local government agencies for their assistance in the preparation of lists and schedules or any other matter relating to the retention, preservation, or destruction of records under this chapter. The local records committee may adopt appropriate regulations establishing procedures to be followed in such matters.
Records of county, municipal, or other local government agencies, designated by the archivist as of primarily historical interest, may be transferred to a recognized depository agency.
(b)(i) Records of investigative reports prepared by any state, county, municipal, or other law enforcement agency pertaining to sex offenders contained in chapter
9A.44 RCW or sexually violent offenses as defined in RCW
71.09.020 that are not required in the current operation of the law enforcement agency or for pending judicial proceedings shall, following the expiration of the applicable schedule of the law enforcement agency's retention of the records, be transferred to the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs for permanent electronic retention and retrieval. Upon electronic retention of any document, the association shall be permitted to destroy the paper copy of the document.
(ii) Any sealed record transferred to the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs for permanent electronic retention and retrieval, including records sealed after transfer, shall be electronically retained in such a way that the record is clearly marked as sealed.
(iii) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall be permitted to destroy both the paper copy and electronic record of any offender verified as deceased.
(c) Any record transferred to the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs pursuant to (b) of this subsection shall be deemed to no longer constitute a public record pursuant to RCW
42.56.010 and shall be exempt from public disclosure. Such records shall be disseminated only to criminal justice agencies as defined in RCW
10.97.030 for the purpose of determining if a sex offender met the criteria of a sexually violent predator as defined in chapter
71.09 RCW and the end-of-sentence review committee as defined by RCW
72.09.345 for the purpose of fulfilling its duties under RCW
71.09.025 and
9.95.420.
Electronic records marked as sealed shall only be accessible by criminal justice agencies as defined in RCW
10.97.030 who would otherwise have access to a sealed paper copy of the document, the end-of-sentence review committee as defined by RCW
72.09.345 for the purpose of fulfilling its duties under RCW
71.09.025 and
9.95.420, and the system administrator for the purposes of system administration and maintenance.
(3) Except as otherwise provided by law, county, municipal, and other local government agencies may, as an alternative to destroying noncurrent public records having no further administrative or legal value, donate the public records to the state library, local library, historical society, genealogical society, or similar society or organization.
Public records may not be donated under this subsection unless:
(a) The records are seventy years old or more;
(b) The local records committee has approved the destruction of the public records; and
(c) The state archivist has determined that the public records have no historic interest.
(4) Personnel records for any peace officer or corrections officer must be retained for the duration of the officer's employment and a minimum of 10 years thereafter. Such records include all misconduct and equal employment opportunity complaints, progressive discipline imposed including written reprimands, supervisor coaching, suspensions, involuntary transfers, other disciplinary appeals and litigation records, and any other records needed to comply with the requirements set forth in RCW 43.101.095 and 43.101.135. Sec. 20. RCW
43.101.380 and 2020 c 119 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The procedures governing adjudicative proceedings before agencies under chapter
34.05 RCW, the administrative procedure act, govern hearings before the commission and govern all other actions before the commission unless otherwise provided in this chapter. The standard of proof in actions before the commission is ((
clear, cogent, and convincing))
a preponderance of the evidence.
(2) In all hearings requested under RCW
43.101.155 ((
or 43.101.156)),
an administrative law judge appointed under chapter 34.12 RCW shall be the presiding officer, shall make all necessary rulings in the course of the hearing, and shall issue a proposed recommendation, but is not entitled to vote. In addition, a five-member hearings panel shall ((
both)) hear the case and make the commission's final administrative decision. ((
Members of the commission may, but need not, be appointed to the hearings panels.))
(3) The commission shall appoint ((as follows two or more panels))a panel to hear certification actions as follows:
(a) When a hearing is requested in relation to a certification action of a Washington peace officer ((
who is not a peace officer of the Washington state patrol)), the commission shall appoint to the panel: (i) One police chief((
; (ii) one))
or sheriff
from an agency not a current or past employer of the peace officer; ((
(iii) two))
(ii) one certified Washington peace officer((
s)) who ((
are))
is at or below the level of first line supervisor((
, one of whom is from a city or county law enforcement agency,)) and who ((
have))
has at least ten years' experience as
a peace officer((
s)); ((
and (iv) one person who is not currently a peace officer and who represents a community college or four-year college or university))
(iii) one civilian member of the commission as appointed under RCW 43.101.030(1) (f) through (h); (iv) one member of the public who is not a prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, or law enforcement officer; and (v) one person with expertise and background in police accountability who is not a current or former peace officer or corrections officer.
(b) ((When a hearing is requested in relation to a certification action of a peace officer of the Washington state patrol, the commission shall appoint to the panel: (i) Either one police chief or one sheriff; (ii) one administrator of the state patrol; (iii) one certified Washington peace officer who is at or below the level of first line supervisor, who is not a state patrol officer, and who has at least ten years' experience as a peace officer; (iv) one state patrol officer who is at or below the level of first line supervisor, and who has at least ten years' experience as a peace officer; and (v) one person who is not currently a peace officer and who represents a community college or four-year college or university.
(c))) When a hearing is requested in relation to a certification action of a Washington corrections officer, the commission shall appoint to the panel: (i) ((
Two heads of))
A person who heads either a city or county corrections agency or facility or of a Washington state department of corrections facility; (ii) ((
two))
one corrections officer((
s)) who ((
are))
is at or below the level of first line supervisor((
, who are from city, county, or state corrections agencies,)) and who ((
have))
has at least ten years' experience as
a corrections officer((
s))
; (iii) one civilian member of the commission as appointed under RCW 43.101.030(1) (f) through (h);
(iv) one member of the public who is not a prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, or law enforcement officer; and ((
(iii)))
(v) one person
with expertise and background in police accountability who is not ((
currently)) a
current or former peace officer or corrections officer ((
and who represents a community college or four-year college or university)).
((
(d)))
(c) When a hearing is requested in relation to a certification action of a tribal police officer, the commission shall appoint to the panel (i) ((
either one police chief or one sheriff; (ii))) one tribal police chief; ((
(iii) one certified Washington peace officer who is at or below the level of first line supervisor, and who has at least ten years' experience as a peace officer; (iv)))
(ii) one tribal police officer who is at or below the level of first line supervisor, and who has at least ten years' experience as a peace officer; ((
and (v) one person who is not currently a peace officer and who represents a community college or four-year college or university))
(iii) one civilian member of the commission as appointed under RCW 43.101.030(1) (f) through (h); (iv) one member of the public who is not a prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, or law enforcement officer; and (v) one person with expertise and background in police accountability who is not a current or former peace officer or corrections officer.
((
(e)))
(d) Persons appointed to hearings panels by the commission shall, in relation to any certification action on which they sit, have the powers, duties, and immunities, and are entitled to the emoluments, including travel expenses in accordance with RCW
43.03.050 and
43.03.060, of regular commission members.
((
(3) Where the charge upon which revocation or denial is based is that a peace officer or corrections officer was "discharged for disqualifying misconduct," and the discharge is "final," within the meaning of RCW 43.101.105(1)(d) or 43.101.106(4), and the officer received a civil service hearing or arbitration hearing culminating in an affirming decision following separation from service by the employer, the hearings panel may revoke or deny certification if the hearings panel determines that the discharge occurred and was based on disqualifying misconduct;))
(4) In decertification matters where there was a due process hearing or a disciplinary appeals hearing following an investigation by a law enforcement agency, or a criminal hearing regarding the alleged misconduct, the hearings panel need not redetermine the underlying facts but may make ((
this))
its determination based solely on review of the records and decision relating to ((
the employment separation))
those proceeding
s and any investigative or summary materials from the administrative law judge, legal counsel, and commission staff. However, the hearings panel may, in its discretion, consider additional evidence to determine whether ((
such a discharge))
misconduct occurred ((
and was based on such disqualifying misconduct)). The hearings panel shall, upon written request by the subject peace officer or corrections officer, allow the peace officer or corrections officer to present additional evidence of extenuating circumstances.
((
Where the charge upon which revocation or denial of certification is based is that a peace officer or corrections officer "has been convicted at any time of a felony offense" within the meaning of RCW 43.101.105(1)(c) or 43.101.106(3), the hearings panel shall revoke or deny certification if it determines that the peace officer or corrections officer was convicted of a felony. The hearings panel need not redetermine the underlying facts but may make this determination based solely on review of the records and decision relating to the criminal proceeding. However, the hearings panel shall, upon the panel's determination of relevancy, consider additional evidence to determine whether the peace officer or corrections officer was convicted of a felony.Where the charge upon which revocation or denial is based is under RCW 43.101.105(1) (a), (b), (e), or (f) or 43.101.106 (1), (2), (5), or (6), the hearings panel shall determine the underlying facts relating to the charge upon which revocation or denial of certification is based. (4)))(5) The commission is authorized to proceed regardless of whether an arbitrator or other appellate decision maker overturns the discipline imposed by the officer's employing agency or whether the agency settles an appeal. No action or failure to act by a law enforcement agency or corrections agency or decision resulting from an appeal of that action precludes action by the commission to suspend or revoke an officer's certificate or to require remedial training for the officer.
(6) The hearings, but not the deliberations of the hearings panel, are open to the public. The transcripts, admitted evidence, and written decisions of the hearings panel on behalf of the commission are not confidential or exempt from public disclosure, and are subject to subpoena and discovery proceedings in civil actions.
(7) Summary records of hearing dispositions must be made available on an annual basis on a public website.
(8) The commission's final administrative decision is subject to judicial review under RCW
34.05.510 through
34.05.598.
Sec. 21. RCW
43.101.400 and 2020 c 119 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Except as provided under subsection (2) of this section, ((
the following records of the commission are confidential and exempt from public disclosure: (a) The contents of personnel action reports filed under RCW 43.101.135 or 43.101.136; (b))) all files, papers, and other information obtained by the commission
as part of an initial background investigation pursuant to RCW
43.101.095((
(5) or 43.101.096; and (c) all investigative files of the commission compiled in carrying out the responsibilities of the commission under this chapter))
(2) and (4) are confidential and exempt from public disclosure. Such records are not subject to public disclosure, subpoena, or discovery proceedings in any civil action, except as provided in ((
subsection (5) of this section))
RCW 43.101.380(6) or which become part of the record in a suspension or decertification matter.
(2) Records which are otherwise confidential and exempt under subsection (1) of this section may be reviewed and copied: (a) By the officer involved or the officer's counsel or authorized representative, who may review the officer's file and may submit any additional exculpatory or explanatory evidence, statements, or other information, any of which must be included in the file; (b) by a duly authorized representative of (i) the agency of termination, or (ii) a current employing law enforcement or corrections agency, which may review and copy its employee-officer's file; or (c) by a representative of or investigator for the commission.
(3) Records which are otherwise confidential and exempt under subsection (1) of this section may also be inspected at the offices of the commission by a duly authorized representative of a law enforcement or corrections agency considering an application for employment by a person who is the subject of a record. A copy of records which are otherwise confidential and exempt under subsection (1) of this section may later be obtained by an agency after it hires the applicant. In all other cases under this subsection, the agency may not obtain a copy of the record.
(4) ((
Upon a determination that a complaint is without merit, that a personnel action report filed under RCW 43.101.135 does not merit action by the commission, or that a matter otherwise investigated by the commission does not merit action, the commission shall purge records addressed in subsection (1) of this section.(5) The hearings, but not the deliberations, of the hearings board are open to the public. The transcripts, admitted evidence, and written decisions of the hearings board on behalf of the commission are not confidential or exempt from public disclosure, and are subject to subpoena and discovery proceedings in civil actions.
(6)))The commission shall maintain a database that is publicly searchable, machine readable, and exportable, and accompanied by a complete, plain-language data dictionary describing the names of officers and employing agencies, all conduct investigated, certifications denied, notices and accompanying information provided by law enforcement or correctional agencies, including the reasons for separation from the agency, decertification or suspension actions pursued, and final disposition and the reasons therefor for at least 30 years after final disposition of each incident. The dates for each material step of the process must be included. Any decertification must be reported to the national decertification index.
(5) Every individual, legal entity, and agency of federal, state, or local government is immune from civil liability, whether direct or derivative, for providing information to the commission in good faith.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 22. A new section is added to chapter
43.101 RCW to read as follows:
The commission must develop policies, procedures, and rules to ensure that the goals of this act are fully implemented as intended and in a timely manner, and to provide appropriate clarity to affected persons and entities as to how the commission will process complaints, investigations, and hearings, and impose sanctions, related to officer certification. The commission must work in collaboration with interested parties and entities in developing the policies, procedures, and rules, and must take into account issues regarding when and how the commission may appropriately exercise authority in relation to simultaneous investigations and disciplinary processes, and how the commission may exercise available remedies in a manner that is appropriate to case circumstances and consistent with the goals of this act. The policies, procedures, and rules must be completed by June 30, 2022.
Sec. 23. RCW
41.56.905 and 1983 c 287 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
The provisions of this chapter are intended to be additional to other remedies and shall be liberally construed to accomplish their purpose. Except as provided in RCW
53.18.015, 43.101.095, and 43.101.135, if any provision of this chapter conflicts with any other statute, ordinance, rule or regulation of any public employer, the provisions of this chapter shall control.
Sec. 24. RCW
49.44.200 and 2013 c 330 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) An employer may not:
(a) Request, require, or otherwise coerce an employee or applicant to disclose login information for the employee's or applicant's personal social networking account;
(b) Request, require, or otherwise coerce an employee or applicant to access his or her personal social networking account in the employer's presence in a manner that enables the employer to observe the contents of the account;
(c) Compel or coerce an employee or applicant to add a person, including the employer, to the list of contacts associated with the employee's or applicant's personal social networking account;
(d) Request, require, or cause an employee or applicant to alter the settings on his or her personal social networking account that affect a third party's ability to view the contents of the account; or
(e) Take adverse action against an employee or applicant because the employee or applicant refuses to disclose his or her login information, access his or her personal social networking account in the employer's presence, add a person to the list of contacts associated with his or her personal social networking account, or alter the settings on his or her personal social networking account that affect a third party's ability to view the contents of the account.
(2) This section does not apply to an employer's request or requirement that an employee share content from his or her personal social networking account if the following conditions are met:
(a) The employer requests or requires the content to make a factual determination in the course of conducting an investigation;
(b) The employer undertakes the investigation in response to receipt of information about the employee's activity on his or her personal social networking account;
(c) The purpose of the investigation is to: (i) Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, or prohibitions against work-related employee misconduct; or (ii) investigate an allegation of unauthorized transfer of an employer's proprietary information, confidential information, or financial data to the employee's personal social networking account; and
(d) The employer does not request or require the employee to provide his or her login information.
(3) This section does not:
(a) Apply to a social network, intranet, or other technology platform that is intended primarily to facilitate work-related information exchange, collaboration, or communication by employees or other workers;
(b) Prohibit an employer from requesting or requiring an employee to disclose login information for access to: (i) An account or service provided by virtue of the employee's employment relationship with the employer; or (ii) an electronic communications device or online account paid for or supplied by the employer;
(c) Prohibit an employer from enforcing existing personnel policies that do not conflict with this section; ((or))
(d) Prevent an employer from complying with the requirements of state or federal statutes, rules or regulations, case law, or rules of self-regulatory organizations; or
(e) Apply to a background investigation in accordance with RCW 43.101.095. However, the officer must not be required to provide login information.
(4) If, through the use of an employer-provided electronic communications device or an electronic device or program that monitors an employer's network, an employer inadvertently receives an employee's login information, the employer is not liable for possessing the information but may not use the login information to access the employee's personal social networking account.
(5) For the purposes of this section and RCW
49.44.205:
(a) "Adverse action" means: Discharging, disciplining, or otherwise penalizing an employee; threatening to discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize an employee; and failing or refusing to hire an applicant.
(b) "Applicant" means an applicant for employment.
(c) "Electronic communications device" means a device that uses electronic signals to create, transmit, and receive information, including computers, telephones, personal digital assistants, and other similar devices.
(d) "Employer" means any person, firm, corporation, partnership, business trust, legal representative, or other business entity which engages in any business, industry, profession, or other activity in this state and employs one or more employees, and includes the state, any state institution, state agency, political subdivisions of the state, and any municipal corporation or quasi-municipal corporation. "Employer" includes an agent, a representative, or a designee of the employer.
(e) "Login information" means a user name and password, a password, or other means of authentication that protects access to a personal social networking account.
Sec. 25. RCW
41.06.040 and 1969 ex.s. c 36 s 22 are each amended to read as follows:
The provisions of this chapter apply to:
(1) Each board, commission or other multimember body, including, but not limited to, those consisting in whole or in part of elective officers;
(2) Each agency, and each employee and position therein, not expressly excluded or exempted under the provisions of RCW
41.06.070 or otherwise excluded or exempted in this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 26. A new section is added to chapter
41.06 RCW to read as follows:
In addition to the exemptions set forth in RCW
41.06.070, the provisions of this chapter do not apply in the Washington state criminal justice training commission to two confidential secretaries involved in managing the confidential records under RCW
43.101.135 and
43.101.400.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 27. No later than December 1, 2022, the criminal justice training commission shall submit a written report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature detailing progress of implementation of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 28. The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
(1) RCW
43.101.096 (Corrections officer certification) and 2020 c 119 s 3;
(2) RCW
43.101.106 (Denial or revocation of corrections officer certification) and 2020 c 119 s 4;
(3) RCW
43.101.116 (Denial or revocation of corrections officer certification
—Readmission to academy
—Reinstatement) and 2020 c 119 s 5;
(4) RCW
43.101.136 (Termination of corrections officer
—Notification to commission) and 2020 c 119 s 7;
(5) RCW
43.101.146 (Written complaint by corrections officer or corrections agency to deny or revoke corrections officer certification
—Immunity of complainant) and 2020 c 119 s 8;
(6) RCW
43.101.156 (Denial or revocation of corrections officer certification
—Statement of charges
—Notice
—Hearing) and 2020 c 119 s 9; and
(7) RCW
43.101.180 (Priorities) and 1981 c 136 s 27 & 1974 ex.s. c 94 s 18.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 29. A new section is added to chapter
10.93 RCW to read as follows:
A general authority Washington law enforcement agency or limited authority Washington law enforcement agency is prohibited from considering the application for any office, place, position, or employment within the agency if the applicant has not provided the agency a document, voluntarily and knowingly signed by the applicant, that authorizes each prior employer to release any and all information relating to the applicant's employment, and further releasing and holding harmless the agency and each prior employer from any and all liability that may potentially result from the release and use of such information provided.
Sec. 30. RCW
43.101.200 and 2019 c 415 s 969 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) All law enforcement personnel, except volunteers, and reserve officers whether paid or unpaid, initially employed on or after January 1, 1978, shall engage in basic law enforcement training which complies with standards adopted by the commission pursuant to RCW
43.101.080. For personnel initially employed before January 1, 1990, such training shall be successfully completed during the first fifteen months of employment of such personnel unless otherwise extended or waived by the commission and shall be requisite to the continuation of such employment. Personnel initially employed on or after January 1, 1990, shall commence basic training during the first six months of employment unless the basic training requirement is otherwise waived or extended by the commission. Successful completion of basic training is requisite to the continuation of employment of such personnel initially employed on or after January 1, 1990.
(2) Except as ((
otherwise)) provided in ((
this chapter))
RCW 43.101.170, the commission shall provide the aforementioned training ((
together with))
and shall have the sole authority to do so. The commission shall provide necessary facilities, supplies, materials, and the board and room of noncommuting attendees for seven days per week, except during the 2017-2019 and 2019-2021 fiscal biennia when the employing, county, city, or state law enforcement agency shall reimburse the commission for twenty-five percent of the cost of training its personnel. Additionally, to the extent funds are provided for this purpose, the commission shall reimburse to participating law enforcement agencies with ten or less full-time commissioned patrol officers the cost of temporary replacement of each officer who is enrolled in basic law enforcement training: PROVIDED, That such reimbursement shall include only the actual cost of temporary replacement not to exceed the total amount of salary and benefits received by the replaced officer during his or her training period."
EFFECT: (1) Modifies the definition of "applicant" to remove the specification that the person is pending certification as a peace or corrections officer.
(2) Makes the following changes to the composition of the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC): Increases membership to 20 (from 17); reinstates current law including two incumbent chiefs of police (rather than one in the underlying bill); increases the number of line officers from one to two, and requires that the officers be from agencies that have at least 15 officers and are different than the agencies the sheriff and police chiefs are associated with; changes "private person" membership to "community member" membership, and additionally increases the number from five to seven, including two (rather than one) from the east side of the Cascade Mountains and three (rather than two) from historically underrepresented communities; and removes the member representing the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(3) Provides that the CJTC has sole authority to provide basic law enforcement training.
(4) Modifies officer background investigation requirements: Makes an exception to the requirement that an applicant submit to a background investigation following a 24 month lapse in service if the lapse is due to being recalled to military service; and modifies requirements relating to checking impeachment disclosure lists and affiliation with extremist organizations to apply to applicants for peace officer, reserve officer, and corrections officer positions, rather than just peace officer positions, and to specify that extremist organizations include those defined as such by the CJTC.
(5) Specifies that the CJTC must provide for the comprehensive and timely investigation of complaints where necessary to ensure adherence to agency policy (rather than policy) and law.
(6) Provides that, in considering whether to investigate following a pattern of complaints or actions, the CJTC must consider the agency's policies and procedures (in addition to the officer's job duties and assignment) in determining what constitutes a pattern.
(7) Modifies certain decertification grounds: Amends the grounds relating to failure to report another officer's use of excessive force to specify that the officer must have failed to report in accordance with agency policy or state law (rather than policy or procedure); and amends the grounds relating to a pattern of conduct to require conduct that: Fails to meet ethical or professional standards (rather than conduct that "indicates an inability" to meet such standards), and disrupts, diminishes, or jeopardizes public trust or confidence in the profession (rather than conduct that "tends to" do these things).
(8) Specifies that the provision stating that reserve officers are subject to decertification on the same grounds as peace officers applies only when the reserve officer holds peace officer certification.
(9) Requires written notice (as well as electronic notice) to an officer of a decertification hearing.
(10) Removes reprimand from the CJTC's available sanctions.
(11) Narrows the provisions relating to suspension of certification: Removes the authority of the CJTC to suspend certification pending a decertification hearing; removes the CJTC's authority to immediately suspend certification pending employing agency proceedings following a required notice by the employing agency to the CJTC; and requires any suspension or probation imposed by the CJTC to run concurrently to any leave or discipline imposed by the employing agency for the same incident.
(12) Provides that a law enforcement agency may not terminate an officer based solely on any CJTC action, but provides that the agency may still terminate an officer based on the underlying conduct if the agency action conforms to the rules and procedures as determined through collective bargaining.
(13) Requires employing agencies to complete (rather than only conduct) an investigation when there is indication that an officer was laid off pending a disciplinary investigation or resigned or retired in anticipation of discipline that would likely lead to suspension or discharge.
(14) Requires the CJTC, in collaboration with interested parties, to develop a set of policies, procedures, and rules by June 30, 2022, to ensure that the goals of the act are fully implemented, and to provide clarity as to how the CJTC will process complaints, investigations, and hearings, and impose sanctions.
(15) Makes other minor changes to wording for internal consistency and technical correctness.
(16) Retains all other provisions of the underlying bill.
--- END ---