H-2333.1
HOUSE BILL 2177
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Representatives Simmons and Goodman
Prefiled 01/05/24. Read first time 01/08/24. Referred to Committee
on Community Safety, Justice, & Reentry.
1 AN ACT Relating to the membership and operation of the sex
2 offender policy board; and amending RCW 9.94A.8673.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
4 Sec. 1. RCW 9.94A.8673 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 40 s 37 are each
5 amended to read as follows:
6 (1) Within funds appropriated for this purpose, the sentencing
7 guidelines commission shall establish and maintain a sex ((offender))
8 offense policy board.
9 (2) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this
10 specific purpose, the board shall facilitate training and team
11 building, and reinstate conferences relevant to sex offense policy
12 development.
13 (3)(a) The board shall serve to advise the governor and the
14 legislature as necessary on issues relating to sex ((offender))
15 offense management.
16 (b) At such times as the governor or a legislative committee of
17 jurisdiction may request, the ((sex offender policy)) board may be
18 convened to:
19 (i) Undertake projects to assist policymakers in making informed
20 judgments about issues relating to sex ((offender)) offense policy;
21 and
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 1 (ii) Conduct case reviews of sex offense incidents to understand
2 performance of Washington's sex ((offender)) offense prevention and
3 response systems.
4 (((3))) (4) The ((sex offender policy)) board shall consist of
5 ((thirteen)) 17 voting members((. Unless the member is)) as follows:
6 (a) The four persons specifically named in this ((section, the
7 following organizations shall designate a person to sit on the board.
8 The voting membership shall consist of the following:
9 (a) A representative of the Washington association of sheriffs
10 and police chiefs;
11 (b) A representative of the Washington association of prosecuting
12 attorneys;
13 (c) A representative of the Washington association of criminal
14 defense lawyers;
15 (d))) subsection:
16 (i) The chair of the indeterminate sentence review board or his
17 or her designee;
18 (((e) A representative of the Washington association for the
19 treatment of sex abusers;
20 (f))) (ii) The secretary of the department of corrections or his
21 or her designee;
22 (((g) A representative of the Washington state superior court
23 judges' association;
24 (h))) (iii) The assistant secretary of the juvenile
25 rehabilitation administration or his or her designee; and
26 (((i) The office of crime victims advocacy in the department of
27 commerce;
28 (j) A representative of the Washington state association of
29 counties;
30 (k) A representative of the association of Washington cities;
31 (l) A representative of the Washington association of sexual
32 assault programs; and
33 (m))) (iv) The director of the special commitment center or his
34 or her designee;
35 (b) One representative from each of the following organizations,
36 appointed by the organization being represented:
37 (i) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs;
38 (ii) The Washington association of prosecuting attorneys;
39 (iii) The Washington association of criminal defense lawyers;
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 1 (iv) The Washington association for the treatment and prevention
2 of sexual abuse;
3 (v) The Washington state superior court judges' association;
4 (vi) The office of crime victims advocacy in the department of
5 commerce;
6 (vii) The Washington state association of counties;
7 (viii) The association of Washington cities; and
8 (ix) The Washington coalition of sexual assault programs;
9 (c) One representative from a community-based organization
10 advocating for persons convicted of sex offenses, appointed by the
11 chair of the sex offense policy board and approved by a majority vote
12 of the board's voting membership;
13 (d) One representative from a federally recognized Indian tribe
14 in Washington state, appointed by the governor's office of Indian
15 affairs;
16 (e) One representative with lived experience with incarceration
17 for a sex offense, appointed by the chair of the sex offense policy
18 board and approved by a majority vote of the board's voting
19 membership; and
20 (f) One representative with lived experience as the victim of a
21 sex offense, appointed by the chair of the sex offense policy board
22 and approved by a majority vote of the board's voting membership.
23 (((4))) (5) The board shall choose its chair by majority vote
24 from among its voting membership. The chair's term shall be two
25 years.
26 (((5))) (6) As appropriate, the board shall consult with the
27 criminal justice division in the attorney general's office and the
28 Washington institute for public policy.
29 (((6))) (7) The board shall consult with the office of crime
30 victims advocacy for recommended trauma-informed practices in the
31 selection and participation of any victims appointed to the board.
32 (8) Members of the board shall receive no compensation but may be
33 reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and
34 43.03.060.
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