Domestic violence work group

Rep. Roger Goodman (D-Kirkland) has continued to meet with a group of stakeholders over the interim to discuss potential legislation to address domestic violence in the community and legal system. At the last meeting, the stakeholders reviewed potential legislation that may include a number of issues:

Increased sentences for repeat offenders;
Providing for court consideration of existing orders and criminal history when issuing protection orders;
Adding guidance to the mandatory arrest primary aggressor standard to help address victim-defendants; and
Potential systems to provide court processes to reconcile multiple and conflicting orders. Kitsap and Thurston Counties received federal grants to develop processes that could be models for other counties.

Further meetings are planned for December 2 and 15, with a goal of introducing legislation in the 2010 session.

House Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Committee

On October 27, the House Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Committee held a work session on several options the Sentencing Guidelines Commission has been analyzing on potential changes to the sentencing grid to address judicial discretion and potential changes to the grid that could accomplish budget cuts. These options are similar to SSB 6160 which had been assumed to pass in the state operating budget but failed to pass before the legislature adjourned earlier this year. The work session also reviewed a proposal to establish a disposition for criminal defendants who are guilty and mentally ill.

OFM facilities closure study

In the state operating budget, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) was directed to hire a contractor to provide recommendations for closing or consolidating institutions in the Department of Corrections, and in the Department of Social and Health Services’ Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration and Division of Developmental Disabilities programs, with certain savings already assumed in the state operating budget. On November 4, OFM released its facilities closure study with those recommendations.

The report can be found here: www.ofm.wa.gov/news/release/2009/091104.asp.

Work group on crime free rental housing

During the 2009 session, AWC agreed to research further which cities operate a version of this program and to convene a group of interested cities, landlords, and tenant advocates to try to work out the issues related to ESSB 5742. An informal survey requesting information about city programs and soliciting work group volunteers was sent to cities last spring. On October 29, representatives from interested cities participated in an initial meeting to discuss the various provisions in crime free rental housing ordinances.

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