HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6668

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Newhouse, Talmadge, Patrick and von Reichbauer; by request of Department of Labor and Industries)

Amending crime victims' compensation provisions.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (17)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Brough, Forner, Hargrove, Inslee, P. King, R. Meyers, Moyer, H. Myers, Schmidt, Scott, D. Sommers, Tate and Wineberry.

House Staff:Pat Shelledy (786-7149)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  (30)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Brough, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Holland, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Padden, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Pat Shelledy (786-7149)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

In 1988, Congress amended the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), requiring that states who receive federal crime victims compensation grants meet new standards to maintain their eligibility.  These standards include (1) extending crime victims' eligibility to Washington State residents, who are victims of any crimes committed in other states which would have made them eligible for compensation had the crimes been committed in Washington state if the states in which those crimes were committed do not have victims' compensation programs; and (2) victims who are injured or killed by drunk drivers (DWI). Currently, Washington residents who are victimized in other states are not eligible. A DWI victim is eligible only if (1) the offender is fatally injured and the offense is classified as vehicular homicide; or (2) the offender is charged and convicted of vehicular assault.

SUMMARY:

Under the Crime Victims Compensation Program, coverage is extended to (1) Washington state residents who are victims of any crimes committed in other states which would have made them eligible for compensation had the crimes been committed in Washington state if those states do not have crime victims' compensation program; and (2) victims who are injured or killed by drunk drivers.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

Effective Date:The bill takes effect October 1, 1990.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Judiciary)  Gerri Wolf, MADD; and Brett Buckley, Department of Labor and Industries.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Judiciary)  No one.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Judiciary)  These changes are necessary in order to comply with federal requirements and to ensure continued federal funding.

(Appropriations)  None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Judiciary)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.