H-228                _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 796

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Meyers, Dellwo, Valle, Sutherland, Kremen, Zellinsky, Haugen, K. Wilson, Ebersole and Winsley

Read first time 2/9/87 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.

AN ACT Relating to the drug control assistance unit of the Washington state patrol; and amending RCW 43.43.610.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 2, chapter 63, Laws of 1970 ex. sess. as last amended by section 107, chapter 3, Laws of 1983 and RCW 43.43.610 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The drug control assistance unit shall ((provide investigative assistance for the purpose of enforcement of the provisions of chapter 69.40 RCW)):

(a) Initiate investigations into illegal drug trafficking as priorities, situations, and conditions warrant for the purpose of enforcing chapters 69.32 and 69.40 RCW; and

(b) Provide investigative assistance to local law enforcement jurisdictions for the purpose of enforcing chapters 69.32 and 69.40 RCW on a prioritized basis to the extent that manpower and other resources can be efficiently and effectively allocated and utilized.

(2) Strike force operations drawing upon resources available to each level of government maximize the effectiveness of state narcotic enforcement resources and are responsive to the multijurisdictional nature of criminal drug activity.  It is the intent of the legislature that the creation and use of multijurisdictional strike forces be promoted and facilitated by the drug control assistance unit.