Law & Justice

Both chambers have a full slate of criminal justice related issues scheduled for the first week of session.

Justice in Jeopardy Initiative

On the House side, the Board for Judicial Administration is scheduled to provide a briefing to the Judiciary Committee on their Justice in Jeopardy Initiative.

Begun in 2004 as a means to highlight serious under-funding of the court system, this initiative helped to gain state funding for Indigent Defense services in cities and counties. This biennium’s proposal requests $9.5 million (three times the current level) to continue state support of local requirements to provide indigent defense services to criminal defendants.

Additionally, the initiative supports state funding for interpreter services in Municipal and District Courts. Currently, cities and counties are required to provide this service and do not receive any funding for doing so. The proposal would require only licensed interpreters be used, and develops a registration system for those languages that do not have licensing provisions. AWC has supported this proposal to date. The presentation is scheduled for 1:30 pm on January 10.

Limiting the Use of Charitable Donations in Charging Decisions

On the Senate side, the Judiciary committee will consider a proposal to limit the uses for which charitable donations may be received as part of a charging decision. There are few guidelines in current law that restrict the use of donations when part of a criminal plea agreement or charging decision. This proposal, initially drafted by the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, would establish limits on their use. It is scheduled to be heard on January 10 at 3:30 pm.

Re-Entry of Offenders into the Community

The Senate Human Services and Corrections committee is scheduled to hear the proposal that has been drafted after a full summer of meetings by the Offender Re-Entry Task Force. This proposal would create a number of pilots that would bring together state and local law enforcement, local service providers, including chemical dependency, housing, and employment resources, to work together to help offenders who are released from prison successfully re-enter their community. AWC has stressed the need for limits on liability for supervision to be included in this bill. We have also been assured that funding will be made available to assist with these new efforts in those areas that wish to be a pilot site. The proposal is scheduled to be heard on January 11 at 8 am.

Auto Theft (HB 1001)

The first bills of interest to cities in the House criminal justice committee (renamed the Public Safety and Emergency Management Committee) include HB 1001, prime sponsored by Rep. John Lovick (D-Mill Creek), that would enhance penalties for auto theft. The bill also creates an Auto Theft Authority to assist state and local law enforcement in their efforts to combat auto theft, both with enforcement and prosecution. AWC has been supportive of this comprehensive look at auto theft. HB 1001 is scheduled to be heard at 8:00 am on January 10.

Enhancing the Penalty for Eluding a Police Vehicle (HB 1030)

Also scheduled to be heard at 8:00 am on the 10^th is HB 1030, a proposal by Rep. Dean Takko (D- Longview), to enhance penalties for anyone convicted of eluding police. There have been several recent tragedies that have occurred when suspects run from police in communities across the state, including Seattle and Yakima. This bill allows the prosecutor to seek a sentencing enhancement of a year for suspects convicted of eluding. AWC is supportive of this proposal to keep law enforcement and the public safe.

National League of Cities to Hold Free Teleconference on Offender Re-entry Programs

In addition to the focus placed on offender re-entry programs in Washington State by the SB 6308 task force this summer, NLC is featuring several cities’ new programs during a free teleconference, "Banning the Box: Facilitating the Reentry of Former Offenders into the Workforce and Community." The teleconference, which will feature programs in Chicago, St. Paul and San Francisco, will be held on January 18, 2007 at 11 am.

While the call is free, it is available only to a limited number of participants. Advance registration is required by close of business on Tuesday, January 16. For more information and to register, go to: www.nlc.org/Newsroom/Nation_s_Cities_Weekly/Weekly_NCW/2006/12/25/13126.cfm.

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