SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5356
As of January 30, 2025
Title: An act relating to training provided by the criminal justice training commission on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to interacting with victims and responding to calls involving gender-based violence or sexual violence.
Brief Description: Concerning training provided by the criminal justice training commission.
Sponsors: Senators Orwall, Hasegawa, Nobles and Wilson, C..
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Law & Justice: 2/03/25.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Expands sexual assault and gender-based violence investigative training to include persons responsible for regularly investigating prohibited conduct under Title IX.
  • Clarifies that peace officers working on patrol must also complete training related to interacting with victims and responding to calls involving sexual violence.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE
Staff: Ryan Giannini (786-7285)
Background:

Criminal?Justice?Training?Commission. The Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) offers an annual intensive, integrated training session on investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases for prosecutors, law enforcement, public defenders, and victim advocates. The training is self-supporting through fees charged to the participants of the training.

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The CJTC also provides advanced training and educational programming for law enforcement officers, including the following:

  • training for officers on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to interacting with victims and responding to calls involving gender-based violence, which applicable officers must complete once every three years; and
  • specialized training for officers who are responsible for investigating sexual assault and other gender-based violence involving adult victims, which applicable officers must complete within one year of being assigned. The training must be based on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to responding to sexual assault and include content on the neurobiology of trauma and trauma-informed interviewing, counseling, and investigative techniques.
Summary of Bill:

The annual intensive, integrated training session on investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases, and the specialized sexual assault and gender-based violence investigative training involving adult victims for law enforcement officers, are expanded to include persons responsible for regularly investigating prohibited conduct under Title IX. The CJTC will consult with the Washington Student Achievement Council regarding such training.?

Peace officers working on patrol are also required to complete training on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to interacting with victims and responding to calls involving sexual violence once every three years.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 26, 2025.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.